No one can believe that the over 6 300-kilometer long Great Wall might disappear some day.Believe it or not,the Great Wall is being destroyed by people.Less than 20 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty is still perfect,but about 80 percent is in danger.The Great Wall can be called “great” mostly because of its amazing length.But we should realize that the length was made up of one brick at a time.If we do nothing to save the Great Wall,it will become a series of separate wasteland rather than a historic site.

The Great Wall is actually a series of walls built and rebuilt by different dynasties over the past 2 000 years.It began in the rule of China’s first emperor,Qin Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC~206 BC),and lasted into the Ming Dynasty.The parts built before the Ming Dynasty have nearly disappeared.People are familiar with sections such as Badaling in Beijing and Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu because they have been open to tourists for many years.But those sections far away from the public eyes have been almost forgotten.

Few local people knew the 3-meter-high walls made of earth and stones beside them are part of the Great Wall.The lack of knowledge is considered as one of the main reasons behind human.

The bricks on the Great Wall are carried off by countryside people to build their houses,sheep corral(畜栏) and pigsties(猪圈).Some were taken away to build roads.Bricks carved with people’s names are put away as remembrance.Rubbish is spread over the battlements(城垛).The bricks can be sold for 15 yuan per tractor load.Those who destroyed and are destroying the Great Wall know its name,but are not clear about its cultural meaning.It will take a long time to let them know this.The local farmers not only carried off the body of the Wall but dug out the entire base.

It is necessary to protect the Great Wall.First of all,the officials should be aware of theimportance of the Great Wall.Young Chinese should know more about the nation’s great civilization (文明)and learn to love it.

The main reason for which the Great Wall can be called“great”is__________.

A.it was made by brick                                     B.it was very wide

C.it was very long                                            D.it had a long history

Why does the author say the Great Wall might disappear?

A.It is useless from now on.                              B.It will be replaced by a new one.

C.Some parts of it are being destroyed.               D.It’s too old to be used again.

The underlined part “those sections far away from the public eyes” refers to the parts of the Great Wall__________.

A.that are too difficult to understand                  B.nobody can watch

C.that are too far to been seen                                   D.that are not well known to the public

What’s the main reason of the Great Wall’s being destroyed?

A.The local people are short of culture knowledge.

B.The local people need bricks and stones to build houses.

C.The local people think that the Great Wall is not important.

D.The local people are against the government.

       Thinking is something you choose to do as a fish chooses to live in water. To be human is to think. But thinking may come naturally without your knowing how you do it. Thinking about drinking is the key to critical(判断性的)thinking. When you think critically, you take control of your thinking processes(过程). Otherwise, you might be controlled by the ideas of others. Indeed, critical thinking is at the heart of education.

       The word “critical” here has a special meaning. It does not mean taking one view against another view, as when someone criticizes another person for doing something wrong. The nature of critical thinking is thinking beyond the easily seen-beyond the pictures on TV, the untrue reports in the newspapers, and the faulty reasoning.

       Critical thinking is an attitude as much as an activity. If you are curious about life and desire to dig deeper into it, you are a critical thinker. If you find pleasure in deep thinking about different ideas, characters, and facts, you are a critical thinker.

       Activities of the mind and higher-order reasoning are processes of deep and careful consideration. They take time, and do not go hand in hand with the fast speed in today’s world: fast foods, instant coffee, and self-developing film. If you are among the people who believe that speed is a measure of intelligence(智力), you may learn something new from a story about Albert Einstein. The first time Banesh Hoffman, a scientist, was to discuss his work with Albert Einstein. Hoffman was too nervous to speak. But Einstein immediately put Hoffman at ease by saying, “Please go slowly. I don’t understand things quickly.”

72.Critical thinking is important to us because if we do not think critically, _______.

       A.it will be hard for us to think naturally and fast

       B.we might be controlled by other people’s ideas

       C.we will follow the ideas of others naturally

       D.we might be footed by other people’s ideas

73.If you are a critical thinker, you will ________.

       A.think deeply about different ideas   B.trust the reports in the newspapers

       C.take one view against another view D.criticize other people for their mistakes

74.In the last paragraph, “something new” suggests that ________.

       A.the smarter you are, the faster you do things

B.the faster you do things, the smarter you become

C.speed can improve intelligence

D.intelligence is not decided by speed

75.What would be the best title for the passage?

       A.Thinking and Critical Thinking.     B.Understanding Critical Thinking.

       C.Thinking Is Natural and Human.    D.Thinking Fast Means Intelligence.

US college students are burdened, with credit card (信用卡)debt, according to a study published Tuesday, and the problem can be serious-ranging from more drop-outs, to future employment problems and even self-murder. The study, by Georgetown University sociologist (社会学家) Robert Manning, blamed credit card issuers for actively targeting students and colleges for allowing them to do so. "The unrestricted selling of credit cards in universities or colleges is so aggressive that it now forms a greater threat than alcohol or sexual diseases," Manning told a news conference in Washington. "If we do not quickly deal with this serious problem, the matter will continue to get worse, with social consequences far more tragic (悲剧的) than mere dollars and cents. "

Based on hundreds of face-to-face interviews and surveys with students, Manning concluded both the number with credit card debt and their indebtedness had been "underreported" in previous studies-which failed to reflect the "survival strategies" many used to deal with their debts. These included the use of federal student loans to pay off credit cards, effectively shifting the debt, appealing to parents for loans, reducing course work hours to increase time at paid jobs, or even dropping out altogether to work full time.

"Official drop-out rates include growing numbers of students who are unable to cope with the stress of their debts and / or part time jobs for servicing their credit cards, " the study said. "Students credit card debts are examined during the employment process and may be an important factor in evaluating future employees," it noted. O’Donnell and Manning agreed students should bear some responsibility for reckless use of credit, but said credit card companies also had to be held responsible for making it so easy for them to get into debt. Manning said one of the most troublesome aspects of the student credit card issue was "the seduction (诱惑) of college and university officials by the credit card industry".

Sociologist Robert Manning's study shows that     .

   A. the number of American college students using credit cards on campus is increasing

   B. more and more American college students meet with credit card debt problems

   C. more and more American colleges encourage students to use credit cards to make profits

   D. credit card issuers will run into debt for encouraging college students to use credit cards

The author's feeling towards college students with credit card debts is __.

   A. discouraged and negative                 B. pitiful and critical

   C. indifferent and disapproving              D. negative and doubtful

The author implies all of following should be responsible for this problem EXCEPT      .

   A. credit card issuers                                  B. college authorities

   C. parents of the students                      D. students themselves

The word "reckless" in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by        .

A. inconsiderate       B. frequent               C. careful                     D. regular


Quit while you're ahead
I am one of those people who are terrible at saying no.I take on too many projects at once, and spend too much of my time doing things I'd rather not be doing.I get work done, but it's not always the best I can do, or the best way I could spend my time.
That's why my newest goal, both as a professional and a person, is to be a quitter.
Being a quitter isn't being someone who gives up, who doesn't see important things through to the end.I aspire (渴望?) to be the opposite of that.The quitter I want to be is someone who gets out when there's no value in what he's doing, or when that value comes at the expense of something more important.
A friend of mine once told me, "I knew I was an adult when I could stop reading a book, even after getting 500 pages into it." Strange though it sounds, we all tend to do this.We get involved in something, realize we don't want to be a part of it, but keep on going.We say "Well, I've already invested so much time in this, I might as well stick it out."
I propose the opposite: quit as often as possible, regardless of project status or time invested.If you're reading a book, and don't like it, stop reading.Cut your losses, realize that the smartest thing to do is to stop before your losses grow even more, and quit.Instead of reading an entire book you hate, read half of a bad one and half of a good one.Isn't that a better use of your time?
Step back for a second.Let's learn how to say "no" at the beginning, or in the middle, and free up more of our time to do the things we'd like to be doing, and the things actually worth doing. Saying no is hard, and admitting a mistaken yes is even harder.If we do both, we'll start to make sure that we're spending our time creating value, rather than increasing our losses.Let's be quitters together.
【小题1】The author wants to be a quitter, because he _____.

A.hopes to improve his personality
B.wishes to have more time for relaxation
C.expects to make more efficient use of his time
D.has found it hard to do several things at one time
【小题2】In what circumstances does the author suggest quitting is a good idea?
A.When you feel tired and need a rest.
B.When you know a task cannot be finished.
C.When you meet with difficulties along the way in your life.
D.When you realize what you are doing is not worth the time.
【小题3】If you stop reading a book you hate, the author might think that ______.
A.you are wise to cut your losses
B.it's a pity that you have wasted so much time
C.you should finish a book that you have started
D.you should regret choosing the wrong book
【小题4】The message the author tries to convey is to ______.
A.learn to say no
B.live your life to the fullest
C.create more value
D.stop doing many things at once


The financial crisis will be the top issue at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The five – day meeting starts on Wednesday, January 28. More than two thousand five hundred people from ninety-six countries will discuss ways to solve the crisis.
The event gathers some of the world's most powerful political and business leaders at a small ski village in the Swiss Alps. Organizers this week announced a program built around the theme: “Shaping the Post-Crisis World."
But with the world still in crisis , there was news that no famous people from show business will be at the forum this year. Bona, the social activist and lead singer of the Irish rock group U2, usually attends. But he will not be attending this year.
Organizers expect a record forty-one heads of state or government. They include Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the prime minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga.
Among those expected from President Obama's new administration is Lawrence Summers, the director of the National Economic Council. Another is Mister Obama's national security adviser, retired general James Jones.
Members of the US Congress are also among the guest list, along with former president Clinten, a favorite at Davos. About sixty percent of those attending are business leaders.
The World Economic Forum will also discuss global warming, investment in low-carbon forms of energy in developing countries and other issues.
Klaus Schwab is the founder and chairman of the forum. He calls this one of the most important gatherings in its thirty-nine year history. He says the financial crisis should be seen as a wake-up call to change systems and ways of thinking, and to re-establish trust.
KLAUS SCHWAB: "We never will move out of the crisis if we do not re-establish confidence  which means we have to establish signposts for the future."
1.What is the main purpose of the World Economic Forum this year?
A.To wake up people to establish signpost for the future.
B.To solve the problems of global warning.
C.To re-establish confidence of the leaders.
D.To discuss how to solve the crisis.
2.The underlined word “signpost” in the last paragraph means          .
A.symbol     B.road  C.goal  D.station
3.What does Klaus Schwab mean in the second paragraph from the bottom?
A.The crisis requires us to change.    
B.We should change the systems of the forum.
C.The forum has a long history. 
D.The crisis needs trust.

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