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Subject Slimming down classics?

Mr.

Handsome

2007-5-12&24

AM

Orion Books,which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics(经典著作),is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L.Tolstoy,M.Mitchell and C.Bronte.Now,each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to   40   per cent of the original,with words,sentences,paragraphs and,in a few cases,chapters removed.The first six shortened editions,all priced at £6.99 and advertised as great reads “in half the time”,will go on sale next month,with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow.The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions.

Mr.

Edwards

2007-5-12

9:40 AM

Well,I’m publisher of Orion Group.Thanks for your attention,Mr.Handsome.

I must say,the idea developed from a game of “shame”in my office.Each of us was required to confess(承认)to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading.I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times.One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping(跳读)Jane Eyre.We realised that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones.

As a leading publishing house,we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions.They are still there if you want to read them.

Ms.Weir

2007-5-12

11:35 AM

I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk.

Mr.Edwards,I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air.I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina,because it’s just so long.I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book.I am looking forward to more shortened classics!

Mr.

Crockatt

2007-5-124:38 PM

I’m from the London independent bookshop Crockatt & Powell.

In my opinion,the practice is completely ridiculous.How can you edit the classics?I’m afraid reading some of these books is hard work,and that is why you have to develop as a reader.If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina,then fine.But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing.

According to the message board,Orinon Books_______.

A.opposes the reading of original classics

B.is embarrassed for cutting down classics

C.thinks cut-down classics have a bright future

D.is cautious in its decision to cut down classics

In Mr.Edwards’ opinion,Orion Group is shortening classics to_______.

A.make them easier to read

B.meet a large demand in the market

C.increase the sales of literary books

D.compete with their original versions

By describing the shortened classics as “a breath of fresh air”,Ms.Weir_______.

A.speaks highly of the cut-down classics

B.shows gailty of the original classics

C.feels guilty of not reading the classics

D.disapproves of shortening the classics

Mr.Crockatt seems to imply that_______.

A.reading the classic works is a confusing attempt

B.shortening the classics does harm to the original

C.publishing the cub-down classics is a difficult job

D.editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs

Does this sound familiar? It’s 3:00 am and you’re still awake and staring at the clock. You can’t sleep , and you’ve already tried all the familiar tricks – taken a warm bath , drunk a glass of heated milk ,tried counting sheep, and read a book –all with no success. If you are such a sufferer, remember you’re not alone. Experts said that one in every four Americans have trouble falling or staying asleep.
Lack of sleep can hurt your quality of life in so many ways. Short temper, impatience, poor decision-making, and mood swings are common among those with sleeping problems. Besides, relationships with family, friends, and co-workers may suffer as a result. Improper sleep can also put your safety at risk by reducing your awareness.
When you’re awake in the middle of the night, you can start to feel desperate for a way out . However, it makes sense to weigh the available treatments before choosing the one that’s right for you. Other sleep aids may seem like a quick fix, but it turns out that there are many disadvantages of these drugs. For one thing, they may require expensive, time-consuming trips to your physician. They may also be habit-forming or have unpleasant side effects like dizziness( 眩晕) dry mouth, and next-day sleepiness. Plus , they become less effective over time.
So what is the best sleep aid available on the market today? The answer is Somnapure , a product that represents nature and science coming together. This all-natural sleep aid which comes from Peak Life allows you to fall asleep quickly and remain asleep through the night . With Somnapure, you wake up feeling refreshed and energetic. Somnapure is currently giving away a 14-day trial here. Get your Somnapure trial for better, deeper sleep that you deserve.
【小题1】From paragraph 1, we can know that sleep problems are_______.

A.easy to make a sufferer lonely
B.common but hard to deal with
C.severe throughout the world
D.widespread only in the USA
【小题2】The underlined words“ a quick fix”(in paragraph3)most probably means____.
A.a waste of moneyB.a quick repairC.an easy way outD.a cheap aid
【小题3】The purpose of the passage is to _______.
A.ask people with sleep problems to try and use Somnapure
B.introduce a kind of medicine to help sleep better
C.draw people’s attention to the bad effects of the lack of sleep
D.talk about what the main causes of the sleep problems are
【小题4】We can infer that the passage is probably immediately followed by information about ______.
A.the instructions to take Somnapure
B.the side effects of Somnapure
C.the price of Somnapure
D.the way to get Somnapure

 

 

The Green Microgym in Portland,Oregon has all the usual stuff you'd expect-sweaty people,loud music,smooth exercise equipment-but it has some extras as well. Everywhere you look,there are power wires. And these aren't the typical kind that let you surf the Web while you ride a spin cycle-although. you can do that too.The gym uses special exercise equipment that captures(捕获)the energy you create while riding, converts(转换)it into electricity and channels it into the power outlets(插座).

The idea of using exercise equipment to produce electricity is not new. A gym in Hong Kong has been doing this since 2007. But clean (and healthy)energy is just now starting to catch on in U. S. gyms·"We have seen a significant increase in interest in the past six months,which is a good sign that fitness centers are ready to spend money on green technologies,” says Mike Curnyn,co-founder of the Green Revolution,a Connecticut-based firm that wires bikes into a central battery that can store energy.

The Green Microgym,first opened in 2008,has more than 200 members and is doing so well that owner Adam Boesel opened another one five miles from the original.Although membership costs about the same as ordinary gyms,customers can earn gift certificates from local businesses for watts produced while exercising.An average workout creates 37. 5 watt hours,which is enough to power a phone for a week.

Boesel uses spin bikes made by Resource Fitness,a Seattle company he co-owns,that captures energy produced from the flywheel. Wires send the converted AC current(交流电流) into any standard wall outlet-for this reason,the product line's name is Plug Out-and the energy created is used before the building draws power from the grid(电网).Unlike the Green Revolution equipment,Plug Out machines cannot store extra energy. A third company,the Florida-based ReRev,is adding converters to a specific brand of spin bikes. But since the converters add$1,000 to the price of the equipment,the ReRev and Green Revolution machines are at a disadvantage.

Resource Fitness,by contrast,sells its equipment for the same$1,200 price as non- electricity-producing machines,removing the question of how long it will be until the energy savings pay for the cost of the unit.The company can afford to do this because its designs don’t call for the extra wiring needed for battery packs and large converters.It is also trying to price competitively with standard equipment so more gyms-and gym goers-will make the switch.

1.Members of the Green Microgym earn gift certificates for_______.

A .using the man-powered exercise equipment

B. saving electricity for local businesses

C. producing green electricity to power their phones

D. paying higher membership fees

2.The spin bikes made by Resource Fitness are different from those by Green Revolution in that_______.

A. they are easier to ride

B. they are more expensive

C. they don't have wires connected

D. they can not store extra electricity

3.What might prevent the green exercise equipment from getting more popular?

A .People's unwillingness to go green.

B. The high cost of making it.

C. Safety problems concerning electricity.

D. Lack of certificates.

4.The underlined words“make the switch”in the last paragraph most probably mean_____.

A. change to a different gym

B. use green exercise equipment

C. switch on the spin bikes

D. add a battery to the machine

 

TOKYO, Japan (AP) – Japan is very serious about robotics (机器人技术). If the droids are going to fit in, they probably need to learn the Japanese custom of serving tea. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Tokyo are exploring just that. In a show this week, a humanoid(有人特点的)with camera eyes made by Kawada Industries Inc. poured tea from a bottle into a cup. Then another robot on wheels delivered the cup of tea in an experimental room that has sensors embedded in the floor and sofa as well as cameras on the ceiling, to simulate(模仿)life with robot technology.

“A human being may be faster, but you’d have to say ‘Thank you,’” said University of Tokyo professor Tomomasa Sato. “That’s the best part about a robot. You don’t have to feel bad about asking it to do things.”

Sato believes Japan, a rapidly aging society where more than a fifth of the population is 65 or older, will lead the world in designing robots to care for the elderly, sick and bedridden(卧床不起的).

Already, monitoring technologies, such as sensors that automatically turn on lights when people enter a room, are becoming widespread in Japan.

The walking, child–size Asimo from Honda Motor Co. greets people at showrooms. NEC Corp. has developed a smaller companion robot–on –wheels called Papero. A seal robot available since 2004 can entertain the elderly and others in need of fuzzy companionship.

Sato says his experimental room is raising awareness about privacy questions that may arise when electronic devices(设备)monitor a person’s movements down to the smallest detail.

On the bright side, the tea – pouring humanoid has been programmed to do the dishes.

1.What is the best title of this passage?

A.“Thank You” Will Never Be Needed in Japan

B.Monitoring Technologies Are Widespread in Japan

C.Robot Is Designed to Care for the Elderly.

D.Robot technologies are widespread in Japanese daily life.

2.The underlined word “embedded” in the first paragraph probably means       .

A.fixed             B.established        C.settled            D.rooted

3.According to Professor Sato,       .

A.the robot serves tea much faster than a human being

B.the robot does anything like human beings

C.tea – serving robot helps to form laziness of the aging society

D.tea – serving robot doesn’t need any reward for the service

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A.A robot can imitate people to complete complicated tasks.

B.A robot has been programmed to clean the dishes.

C.All the problems in the aging society can be solved by robots.

D.The number of aging people is increasing rapidly in Japan.

5.We can infer from the passage that        .

A.people are afraid of being monitored by robots.

B.the technology of robots has been highlighted in Japan.

C.robots can completely take the place of human beings.

D.people’s privacy should be strictly protected

 

You Are Going Places

       One day I came home from school, changed my clothes and got ready for work.I work at a local restaurant in town as a cashier, seater and waiter.

       I went to work feeling  31   . And to make matters worse, I was busy that evening.It' s the same thing over and over again. 32  with customers who complain about their food and where they are  33  is too big or too small.Little things like that tend to  34  a lot of us  35  but we manage to deal with it.

       Three elderly ladies walked in and sat by the windows.It happened to be the very  36  near where I keep the dirty  37  in the boxes.Trying to keep up with all the dirty tables, customers leaving and coming in and  38  running all over the house, it was crazy. 39  these elderly women were watching  40  I was working to make sure every table was clean and ready for the next customers.

       When they  41  their meals, I took their plates back to the kitchen.They talked to me for a while about school, how I was doing, what  42  I was in and what I planned to do in the future.

       43  they were leaving, they walked past me and one of them said to me in a  44  and gentle voice, "You are going places.And that was it.They left the  45  and I had tears in my eyes, because they gave me  46 to believe in myself.They  47  my spirit from being down and gave me a  48  to keep on working hard.

       People used to tell me that I could not have a career in  49  until I had a degree.I'm now a co-anchor (联合主持人)of a student-produced television  50  . And the best thing is: I'm only 17 years old and I am a senior in high school.

1.A.tired                           B.excited             C.up                          D.down

2.A.Dealing                      B.Helping            C.Talking                   D.Meeting

3.A.sat                              B.seated              C.laid                        D.seating

4.A.attract                        B.avoid               C.adjust                     D.annoy

5.A.employees B.customers                         C.boss                       D.employers

6.A.table                          B.box                  C.spot                        D.kitchen

7.A.dishes                        B.rooms               C.clothes                   D.chairs

8.A.men                           B.women             C.servers                   D.people

9.A.And                         B.Otherwise          C.But                        D.So

10.A.what                      B.how                   C.where                     D.why

11.A.finished  B.completed                       C.ordered                  D.got

12.A.place                      B.grade                 C.mark                      D.position

13.A.Before                   B.While                 C.As                          D.After

14.A.confident               B.loud                   C.low                        D.pleasant

15.A.kitchen                  B.house                 C.restaurant               D.table

16.A.ability                    B.courage              C.imagination            D.time

17.A.put down               B.picked up           C.took over               D.pointed out

18.A.cause                     B.reason                C.present                   D.permission

19.A.television               B.government       C.school                    D.restaurant

20.A.company                B.station                C.show            D.advertisement

 

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