A car that runs on coffee is unveiled(shown to the public for the first time)today but at between 25 and 50 times the cost of running a car on petrol, the invention won’t please any motor industry accountants.

Nicknamed the Car-puccino, it has been created using a 1988 Volkswagen Scirocco bought for ??400 and it was chosen because it looked like the time-traveling DeLorean in the movie Back To The Future.The car will be driven the 210 miles between Manchester and London powered only by roasted coffee granules (颗粒).It has been built by a team from the BBC1 science programme Bang Goes The Theory and will go on display at the Big Bang science fair in Manchester to show how fuels other than traditional petrol can power vehicles.

The team calculates the Car-puccino will do three miles per kilo of ground coffee (咖啡粉) — about 56 cups of espressos (浓咖啡) per mile.The journey will use about 70 kilos of ground coffee which, at supermarket prices of between ??13 and ??26 a kilo depending on brand and quality, will cost between ??910 and ??1,820, or between 25 and 50 times the ??36 cost of petrol for the journey.In total, the trip will cost 11,760 espressos, and the team will have to take ‘coffee breaks’ roughly every 30 to 45 miles to pour in more granules.They will also have to stop about every 60 miles to clean out the ‘coffee filters’ to rid them of the soot and tar which is also generated by the process.So despite a top speed of 60mph, the many stops mean the going will be slow, with the journey taking around ten hours.

Sadly, the inventors will still have to pay duty on their coffee fuel---even though tax collectors at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Custom haven’t yet worked out how much.

Nick Watson, producer of Bang Goes The Theory, said, “Coffee, like wood or coal, has some carbon content so you can use it as a fuel.The coffee needs to be very dry and in granules to allow the air to move through the pile of coffee as it burns.The brand doesn’t matter.” He said the same technology could be used to power a car on other unusual fuels, such as woodchips or nut shells, construction or agricultural waste.

Which is the right way to choose the coffee used as fuels to run the Car-puccino?

       A.It should be very dry.                  B.The stronger, the better.

       C.The smaller the granules are, the better.  D.It should be of a certain brand.

What can be inferred from the passage?

       A.All kinds of materials can be used as fuels.

       B.The Car-puccino will be put into the market soon.

       C.Nick Watson is the designer of the Car-puccino

       D.Much remains to be improved for the Car-puccino.

The Car-puccino has its disadvantages EXCEPT that ________.

       A.it makes a lot of noise           

       B.it runs at a very high cost

       C.it has to stop to be refueled very often    

       D.it’s not good enough for long-distance journey

How much ground coffee will be used to cover a distance of 126 miles in this car?

       A.About 70 kilos B.About 42 kilos.     C.About 32 kilos        D.About 30 kilos

Why can coffee be used as a fuel?

A. It looks like wood or coal.          B. It contains some carbon content.

C. It is very cheap.                  D. It is much better than woodchips or nut shells.

Choose Winners Club, and you choose to be a winner! The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account(交易账户)where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7 – that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers: No account keeping fees! You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees! Excellent interest rates!
You want your money to grow? The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits(储蓄)without taking them out in a month. Convenient Teenagers are busy – we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet. You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!
Mega Magazine included along with your regular report, will definitely assure you  to receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members. The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (so we can organize that cool key – card) but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!
【小题1】Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?

A.Special gifts are ready for parents.
B.The bank opens only on work days.
C.Services are convenient for its members.
D.Fees are necessary for the account keeping.
【小题2】The Winners Club provides magazines which ________.
A.encourage spending
B.are free to all teenagers
C.are full of adventure stories
D.help to make more of your money
【小题3】If you want to be a member of the Club, you must ________.
A.be an Internet user
B.be permitted by your parent
C.have a big sum of money
D.be in your twenties
【小题4】What is the purpose of this text?
A.To set up a club.
B.To provide part-time jobs.
C.To organize key-cards.
D.To introduce a new banking service.

Surprises often come in boxes. Birthday presents wrapped in colorful paper, brown paper packages mailed from a friend. No matter what kind of box it is, people like to open it up and see what's inside. In America, and in many other countries, one special kind of box contains the future. It's called a ballot box. What people put into the box on election day can change the course of history.

Elections are the lifeblood of a democracy. The word democracy literally means "the people rule," an important concept in American history. In the mid-1700s, England began passing laws that made the American colonies angry. The colonists had to pay more and more taxes and enjoyed less and less freedom. They felt the government of England didn't represent their interests. On July 4, 1776, the colonies declared their independence from England. They wanted to establish a democracy where people could have a voice in government.

An effective democracy holds regular elections. In America, elections are held every two years for members of Congress. In these elections, all seats in the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate seats are up for grabs. In addition, every four years, voters go to the polls to elect the nation's president and vice-president. Voters also regularly cast their ballots for state and city government leaders and local school board members. Sometimes they also have to vote on a proposed law.

In the American electoral system, people don't really vote for presidential candidates. Instead, voters cast their ballots for "electors" who support each candidate. Each state has as many electors as the total number of its representatives in Congress. This equals two senators per state plus the number of its representatives in the House (which is based on the state's population). The candidate who has the most votes in a state wins all of the state's electors. To win the presidential election, a candidate must gain at least 270 of the 538 total electoral votes.

Over the years, the U.S. has made a number of election reforms. Some early reforms outlawed cheating, giving bribes and threatening voters. They also limited the amount of money candidates could receive from donors and spend on their campaigns. In 1870, black people gained the right to vote, and in 1920, that right was extended to women. In recent decades, laws against unfair rules for voting have been passed. No longer do people have to pay a special tax or pass a test in order to vote. In 1971, the voting age was lowered to 18. Other reforms made voting easier for the blind, the disabled and people who couldn't read. In some areas, ballots had to be printed in languages besides English.

In November, Americans will again elect those who will represent them in government. Although some citizens aren't even registered to vote--and some registered voters don't bother to go to the polls--most Americans exercise their right to vote. They realize that their future is wrapped up in a special package--the ballot box. It's a package that must definitely be "handled with care."

1.According to the context, what does a “ballot box” mean in Chinese?

A.彩票箱           B.投票箱           C.礼品箱           D.保险箱

2.Democracy means that ____.

A.People couldn’t have a voice in a government.

B.In America, elections are held every four years for members of Congress.

C.Democracy is the lifeblood of elections.

D.Basically “ the people rule”, and it’s very important in American history.

3.How will the votes distributed if Romney got 20 votes while Obama received 17 votes in California in the election?

A.Romney will win 20 votes in California.

B.Obama will win 20 votes in California.

C.Romney will win 37 votes in California.

D.Obama will win 37 votes in California.

4. Which one is RIGHT about election reforms?

A.People have to pay a special tax to vote.

B.There are bribes and threatening in elections now.

C.People above eighteen years old can vote now.

D.The disabled or the blind have tough access to voting.

5. What’s the main idea of this passage?

A.Birthday boxes in the U.S.                 B.Election systems in the U.S.

C.Election reforms in the U.S.                D.Democracy in the U.S.

 

 

I told my friend Graham that I often cycle two miles from my house to the town centre but unfortunately there is a big hill on the route.He replied,“You mean fortunately.”He explained that I should be glad of the extra exercise that the hill provided.

    My attitude to the hill has now changed.I used to grumble as I approached it but now I tell myself the following.This hill will exercise my heart and lungs.It will help me to lose weight and get fit.It will mean that I live longer.This hill is my friend.Finally I comfort myself with the thought of all those silly people who pay money to go to a gym and sit on stationery exercise bicycles when I call get the same value for free.I have a smile of satisfaction as I reach the top of the hill.

    Problems are there to be faced and overcome.We cannot achieve anything with an easy life.Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to gain a university degree.Her activism and writing proved inspirational.She wrote,“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened,vision cleared,ambition inspired and success achieved.”    

   One of the main determinants of success in life is our attitude towards adversity(逆境).From time to time we all face hardships,problems.accidents、afflictions and difficulties.Some are of our making but many confront us through no fault of our own.While we cannot choose the adversity we can choose our attitude towards it.

    Douglas Bader was 21 when in 193l he had both legs cut off following a flying accident.He was deter-mined to fly again and went on to become one of the leading flying aces in the Battle of Britain with 22 aerial victories over the Germans.He was an inspiration to others during the war.He said,“Don't listen to any-one who tells you that you can’t do this or that.That's nonsense.Make up your mind,you'll never use crutches(拐杖)or a stick,then have a go at everything.Go to school,join in all the games you can.Go anywhere you want to.But never,never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible.” 

    The biographies(传记)of great people are full of examples of how they took steps to overcome the difficulties they faced.The common thread is that they did not become depressed.They chose their attitude.They chose to be positive.They took on the challenge.They won.

Nevertheless.there is still the problem of how you change your attitude towards adversity.

1. Which of the following is true according to the author of the passage?

A.Climbing hills on bicycles is the best way to take exercise.

B.People are silly to pay to go to the gym.

   C.Those who want to achieve success can't expect to live all easy lire.

   D.People's attitude towards adversity is the only factor that determines whether they will succeed.

2.By quoting what Douglas Bader said,the author intends to tell us“___________.”

A.Failure is the mother of Success.   

B.A fall into the pit,a gain in your wit.

C.If you venture nothing,you will have nothing. 

D.Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.

3.Following this passage,the author will further talk about___________.

  A.how his friend helped him to change his attitude towards the adversity he faced

  B.what steps to take to change your attitude towards the adversity you face

  C.what great people have in common

D.why it is important to keep optimistic in face of adversity

4.Which of the following can best function as the title of the passage?

A.Face adversity with a smile                       B.Different attitudes towards adversity

C.Nothing is impossible                            D.Life is full of adversity

 

No one wants to be tested.We would all like to get a driver’s license without answering questions about rights of way or showing that we can parallel park a car.Many future lawyers and doctors probably wish they could join their profession without taking an exam.

But tests and standards are a necessary fact of life.They protect us from unskilled drivers, harmful products and dishonest professionals.In schools too exams play a constructive role.They tell public officials whether new school programs are making a difference and where new investments are likely to pay off.They tell teachers what their students have learned——and have not.They tell parents how their children are doing compared with others of their age.They encourage students to make more effort.

It is important to recall that for most of century, educators used intelligence tests to decide which children should get a high-quality education.The point of IQ testing was to find out how much children were capable of learning rather than to test what they had actually learned.Based on IQ scores, millions of children were assigned to dumbed-down (学术挑战较小的) programs instead of solid courses in science, math, history, literature and foreign language.

This history reminds us that tests should be used to improve education.Every child should have access to a high - quality education.Students should have full opportunity to learn what will be tested; otherwise their scores will merely reflect whether they come from an educated family.

In the past few years, we have seen the enormous benefits that flow to disadvantaged students because of the information provided by state tests.Those who fall behind are now getting extra instruction in after - school classes and summer programs.In their efforts to improve student performance, states are increasing teachers’ salaries, testing new teachers and insisting on better teacher education.

Performance in education means the mastery of both knowledge and skills.This is why it is reasonable to test teachers to make sure they know their subject matter, as well as how to teach it to young children.And this is why it is reasonable to assess whether students are ready to advance to the next grade or graduate from high school.

68.According to the passage, school exams enable ______.

       A.governments to make right policies

       B.students to meet their teachers’ requirements

       C.teachers to understand if their students have made efforts

       D.parents to compare their kids’ achievements across schools

69.Which of the following does the author probably agree with?

       A.Disadvantaged students can benefit from state tests.

       B.Tests should focus on what students have actually learned.

       C.Intelligent tests decide if children should get a high - quality education.

       D.Intelligent tests are helpful in separating excellent students from poor ones.

70.What is the purpose of the passage?

       A.To re - assess the value of IQ testing.

       B.To defend the role of testing in education.

       C.To explain what high - quality education means.

       D.To call for thorough and complete reform in education.

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