Have you ever wished you could solve complex math problems without thinking? What about learning to play the piano in just three days? Or mastering several foreign languages within a month?
Eddie Morra, the main character in the movie Limitless can do all these things. But he isn’t Superman or Harry Potter. Eddie has taken pills called NZT.
Thriller Limitless came out in China on October 13. In the movie, Eddie is faced with “writer’s block”. He hasn’t written a single word of a novel, and his deadline has passed. And there’s more bad news: his girlfriend breaks up with him. By chance, Eddie runs into a relative who is a drug dealer. He gives Eddie some pills called NZT that allow people to make use of 100 percent of their brains. With the magic pills, Eddie’s life changes completely. He can recall everything he has ever read, seen or heard. He gains a sixth sense that allows him to predict future events. He even becomes a kungfu master by simply memorizing actions in Bruce Lee’s movie.
Before long he has finished his novel, won back his girlfriend and stepped into the financial world. He becomes rich incredibly quickly and is soon employed by a powerful Wall Street company. However, bad side effects are just around the corner. The effects of the pill last for only one or two days, and Eddie has to find more supplies of the pills. Meanwhile, the pills start to have other effects on him. Eddies’ mind loses the ability to control the actions of his body. What does destiny hold for him? Will he be able to go back to his normal life?
“Eddie’s fate turns out to be a barbed (讽刺的) joke… a sharp-eyed comic fable for an age of greed (贪婪)and speed.” writes A. O. Scott, a movie critic with the New York Times.
The drug isn’t real-----yet, some researchers say such memory-enhancing drugs might not be far off. Would you take such a pill despite its side effects? Is the ability to remember everything a blessing or a curse?
【小题1】Which of the following happened to Eddie after he took the pill?

A.He can easily call everyone in the world.
B.He can expect what will happen next with his sixth sense.
C.He can control a powerful Wall Street company and becomes rich.
D.He can make a special pill to improve his own memory.
【小题2】What’s A. O. Scott’s opinion of the movie?
A. The movie can help slow our pace in life.
B. The movie turned out to be only a joke.
C. The movie can help invent a memory-enhancing drug.
D. The movie aims to show something is wrong with our society.
【小题3】What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.Memory-enhancing is sure to do good to us.
B.More people will take pills to enhance their memory.
C.People are soon likely to remember everything.
D.Such a pill to enhance memories may soon be invented.
【小题4】What is writer’s purpose of writing the passage?
A.To give us the information of a new movie.
B.To inform us of a new research on a new drug.
C.To suggest a good way to improve memory.
D.To tell us something about a new drug to enhance our memory.



TaIL Spin
Two dolphins race around in a big pool in the Ocean Park. The smaller dolphin Grace, shown off a few of her tricks, turning around and waving hello to the crowd. The most amazing thing about her, however, is that she’s even swimming at all. She doesn’t have a tail.
Grace lost her tail as a baby when she got caught up in a fish trap. When the dolphin arrived at the Ocean Park in December 2005, she was fighting for her life. “Is she going to make it?” Her trainer, Abbey Stone, feared the worst. Grace did make it --- but her tail didn’t. She ended up losing her flukes and the lower part of her peduncle.
Over the past six years, she has learned to swim without her tail. Dolphins swim by moving their flukes and peduncle up and down. Grace taught herself to move another way---like a fish! She pushed herself forward through the water by moving her peduncles from side to side.
The movement put harmful pressure on Grace’s backbone. So a company offered to create a man-made tail for her. The tail had to be strong enough to stay on Grace as she swam but soft enough that it wouldn’t hurt her.
The first time Grace wore the artificial tail. She soon shook it off and let it sink in the bottom of the pool. Now, she is still learning to use the tail. Some days she wears it for an hour at a time, others not at all. “The tail isn’t
necessary for her to feel comfortable,” says Stone, “but it helps to keep that range of motion(动作) and build muscles(肌肉).”
Now, the dolphin is about to get an even happier ending. This month, Grace will star in Dolphin Tale, a film that focus on her rescue and recovery. Her progress has inspired more than just a new movie. Many people travel from near and far to meet her. Seeing Grace swim with her man-made tail gives people so much courage.
【小题1】 When Grace first arrived at the Ocean Park, her trainer worried about her        .

A.physical buildB.potential ability
C.chance of survivalD.adaptation to the surroundings.
【小题2】A man-made tail is created for Grace to   _.
A.let her recover faster B.make her comfortable
C.adjust her way of swimmingD.help her perform better tricks
【小题3】The story of Grace inspires people to_      .
A.stick to their dreamsB.treat animals friendly
C.treasure what they haveD.face difficulties bravely

TaIL Spin

Two dolphins race around in a big pool in the Ocean Park. The smaller dolphin Grace, shown off a few of her tricks, turning around and waving hello to the crowd. The most amazing thing about her, however, is that she’s even swimming at all. She doesn’t have a tail.

Grace lost her tail as a baby when she got caught up in a fish trap. When the dolphin arrived at the Ocean Park in December 2005, she was fighting for her life. “Is she going to make it?” Her trainer, Abbey Stone, feared the worst. Grace did make it --- but her tail didn’t. She ended up losing her flukes and the lower part of her peduncle.

Over the past six years, she has learned to swim without her tail. Dolphins swim by moving their flukes and peduncle up and down. Grace taught herself to move another way---like a fish! She pushed herself forward through the water by moving her peduncles from side to side.

The movement put harmful pressure on Grace’s backbone. So a company offered to create a man-made tail for her. The tail had to be strong enough to stay on Grace as she swam but soft enough that it wouldn’t hurt her.

The first time Grace wore the artificial tail. She soon shook it off and let it sink in the bottom of the pool. Now, she is still learning to use the tail. Some days she wears it for an hour at a time, others not at all. “The tail isn’t

necessary for her to feel comfortable,” says Stone, “but it helps to keep that range of motion(动作) and build muscles(肌肉).”

Now, the dolphin is about to get an even happier ending. This month, Grace will star in Dolphin Tale, a film that focus on her rescue and recovery. Her progress has inspired more than just a new movie. Many people travel from near and far to meet her. Seeing Grace swim with her man-made tail gives people so much courage.

1. When Grace first arrived at the Ocean Park, her trainer worried about her        .

A.physical build                          B.potential ability

C.chance of survival                       D.adaptation to the surroundings.

2.A man-made tail is created for Grace to   _.

A.let her recover faster                    B.make her comfortable

C.adjust her way of swimming                D.help her perform better tricks

3.The story of Grace inspires people to_      .

A.stick to their dreams                     B.treat animals friendly

C.treasure what they have                  D.face difficulties bravely

 

 

The announcements by the NASA,in the form of several Web site postings and a video posted on YouTube,were in response to worries that the world will end on Dec.21,2012.

The doomsday(末日) rumour reached a high point with the release of the new movie “2012”,directed by Roland Emmerich.In the movie,Yellowstone blows up, showering the continent with black ash.Tidal waves wash over the Himalayas,where the governments of the planet have secretly built a ship which a select 400,000 people can ride out the storm.There are hundreds of hooks devoted to 2012,and millions of Web sites,depending on what combination of“2012”and“doomsday”you type into Google.All of it,astronomers say, is nonsense.“Most of what's claimed for 2012 relies on wishful thinking and ignorance of astronomy.”Ed Krupp, an expert on ancient astronomy,wrote in an article in the November issue of Sky&Telescope.

“I get angry at the way people are being influenced and frightened to make money,” Morrison said.“There is no right to frighten children to make a buck.”suggested David Morrison,an astronomer at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field,Calif.He said he had been getting about 20 letters and e—mail messages a day from people as far away as India scared out of their wits.Morrison said he did not blame the movie for all this,as much as many other supporters of the Mayan prediction.But then,he said,“my doctorate is in astronomy,not psychology.”

In an e—mail exchange, Krupp said:“We are always uncertain about the future,and we always consume representations of it.We are always attracted by the romance of the ancient past.”A NASA spokesman,Dwayne Brown,said the agency did not comment on movies,leaving that to movie critics.But when it comes to science, Brown said, “we felt it was careful to provide a resource.”

If you want to worry,most scientists say,you should think about global climate change or nuclear war.But if ancient prophecies(预言)get you going,here are some things Morrison and the others think you should know.

64.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A.Dr.Morrison blamed the Movie“2011”for the panic it aroused in the public around the world.

B.People who watched the movie were seared and firmly believed that the end of the world was coming.

C.In terms of science it was better to provide evidence and theory at the same time.

D.Dr.Morrison thought it was not right to make money by frightening people.

65.It can be inferred from the text that         .

A.astronomers think that doomsday is likely to happen in the near future

B.the reason why the NASA posted web site postings was to make people interested in astronomy

C.scientists think we shouldn't worry about doomsday but show concern about environment protection

D.most astronomers agree that the world is not ending—at least anytime soon

66.Which of the following would be the best title?

A.A New Movie“2012”             B.Is Doomsday Coming?

C.End-of-the-World Stories          D.Astronomers Comment on Movies

67.What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?

A.Evidence that the Mayans thought something special would happen in 2012.

B.What will really happen in 2012.

C.The reason why there is no need to worry about doomsday.

D.Ancient stories about the end of the world.

 

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