Man ________ die without water.


  1. A.
    will
  2. B.
    can
  3. C.
    need
  4. D.
    shall

Australians have been warned they face a life or death decision over their water —— drink recycled sewage(污水) or die.
With the drought(干旱) continuing, the country is set to be forced to use purified waste water for drinking, even if there is great opposition to the measure
Queensland has become the first state to introduce the policy after a warning from its premier.
“I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia is going to end up drinking recycled purified water,” said former Premier Peter Beattie. “These are difficult decisions, but you either drink water or you die. There’s no choice. It's liquid gold; it a matter of life and death.”   
Beattie said Australia's second largest state would become the first to use recycled water for drinking.
Water is recycled in Britain and parts of northern Europe along with the US and Israel.
But Australians have never liked the idea.
To try to change the way Australians think, John Howard  and  Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull have Supported Queensland’s move.
“I am very strongly for recycling and Mr Beattie is right and I agree with him completely,” Howard said.
“Australian cities, all now facing water shortages because of the worst drought on record, must start to use recycled water,” added Turnbull. “All of our big cities have to widen the range of water sources to include sources which are not dependent on rainfall.”

  1. 1.

    What is the passage mainly about?

    1. A.
      Australians face the choice of life and death.
    2. B.
      Continuing drought forces Australians to drink recycled sewage.
    3. C.
      Mr Beattie is worried about his people’s health.
    4. D.
      We should avoid drinking recycled water to keep healthy.
  2. 2.

    According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

    1. A.
      The drought is the worst one in the droughts recorded in Australian history.
    2. B.
      Australia’s largest state has become the first state to introduce the policy.
    3. C.
      No other countries but Australia decides to drink recycled water.
    4. D.
      Nobody disagrees to the idea of drinking recycled purified water.
  3. 3.

    It can be inferred from what Peter Beattie said that_________.

    1. A.
      he gives orders to drink purified waste water.
    2. B.
      if the decision is made, people won't survive the drought
    3. C.
      it is painful for him to see his people drink recycled sewage
    4. D.
      it's up to you to make a life or death decision

Children at a school in Italy have today begun an experiment to replace all their books with personal computers. The pupils involved will each be given a special laptop that contains their entire courses.
Until today, the Don Milani di Rivoli elementary school in central Turin was like any other. Children turned up, got out their books and pens and began the process of learning. But now, in what's being described as a unique experiment, 60 fifth-grade pupils and a number of third-graders, will start using computers only.
The mini-laptops, which run Windows software, all have a full curriculum programmed into them. The pupils will use the computers to do all their reading and writing. Security systems within the laptops mean the children's access to the Internet is strictly controlled. The machines weigh less than a kilogram, can be dropped from a height of 1.5 metres and are waterproof.
Instead of spending 700 dollars a year on books, the laptops, built by the Italian company Olidata, cost less than 400 dollars. One of the teachers involved in the scheme says that, for the first time, schools will be able to verify in a scientific way how a computer alone can improve the learning process. The experiment, which has the backing of parents, is due to last a year.
In other countries, such a programme is also being carried out. Venezuela is ordering one million low cost laptops for its school children. The machines will be based on the Intel Classmate laptop that has been designed for school children. Many see the deal as a blow for the One Laptop Per Child organization that has also been introducing its child- friendly machine to developing nations.

  1. 1.

    Which of the following is TRUE about the mini-laptop?

    1. A.
      It is heavy for pupils to carry.
    2. B.
      It can't be damaged by water.
    3. C.
      It is one and a half meters high.
    4. D.
      It is easily broken or damaged.
  2. 2.

    The pupils use the laptop to ____ in class.

    1. A.
      learn their lessons as an aid
    2. B.
      have a course named computer studies
    3. C.
      surf the Internet mainly to find information
    4. D.
      do what they used to do with books and pens
  3. 3.

    How much money can a pupil save by using the mini-laptop to replace all the books in a year?

    1. A.
      Less than 400 dollars.
    2. B.
      More than 400 dollars.
    3. C.
      More than 300 dollars.
    4. D.
      Less than 300 dollars.
  4. 4.

    Which of the following about the experiment is TRUE?

    1. A.
      It has been carried out for over one year.
    2. B.
      It has already turned out to be a success.
    3. C.
      The pupils' parents are against it in fact.
    4. D.
      The pupils' parents are supportive to it.

A few years ago I asked my children’s governess, Julia Vassilyevna, to come into my study.
“ Sit down, Julia Vassilyevna,” I said.“Let’s settle our accounts. Although you most likely need some money, you stand on ceremony and won’t ask for it yourself. Now then, we agree on thirty rubles a month…”
“ Forty.”
“ No, thirty. I made a note of it. I always pay the governess thirty. Now then, you’ve been here two months, so…”
“ Two months and five days.”
“ Exactly two months. I made a specific note of it. That means you have sixty rubles coming to you. Subtract nine Sundays… you know you didn’t work with Kolya on Sundays, you only took walks. And three holidays…”
Julia Vassilyevna flushed a deep red and picked at the flounce of her dress, but--- not a word.
“ Three holidays, therefore take off twelve rubles. Four days Kolya was sick and there were no lessons, as you were occupied only with Vanya. Three days you had a toothache and my wife gave you permission not to work after lunch. Twelve and seven---nineteen. Subtract…that leaves…hmm…forty-one rubles. Correct?”
Julia Vassilyena’s left eye reddened and filled with moisture. Her chin trembled; she coughed nervously and blew her nose, but---not a word.
“ Around New Year’s you broke a teacup and saucer: take off two rubles. The cup cost more, it was an heirloom, but---let it go. When didn’t I take a loss? Then, due to your neglect, Kolya climbed a tree and tore his jacket: take off ten. Also due to your heedlessness the maid stole Vanya’s shoes. You ought to watch everything! You get paid for it. So, that means five more rubles off. The tenth of January I gave you ten rubles…”
“ You didn’t ” whispered Julia Vassilyevna.
“ But I made a note of it.”
“ Well…all right.”
“ Take twenty-seven from forty-one ---that leaves fourteen.”
Both eyes filled with tears. Perspiration appeared on the thin, pretty little nose. Poor girl!
“ Only once was I given any money,” she said in a trembling voice, “ and that was by your wife. Three rubles, nothing more.”
“ Really? You see now, and I didn’t make a note of it! Take three from fourteen… leaves eleven. Here’s your money, my dear. Three , three, three, one and one. Here it is!”
I handed her eleven rubles. She took them and with trembling fingers stuffed them into her pocket.
“ Merci,” she whispered.
I jumped up and started pacing the room. I was overcome with anger.
“ For what, this ---‘merci’?” I asked.
“ For the money.”
“ But you know I’ve cheated you, God’s sake---robbed you! I have actually stolen from you! Why this ‘merci’?”
“ In my other places they didn’t give me anything at all.”
“ They didn’t give you anything? No wonder! I played a little joke on you, a cruel lesson, just to teach you … I’m going to give you the entire eighty rubles! Here they are in an envelope all ready for you… Is it really possible to be so spineless? Why don’t you protest? Why be silent? Is it possible in this world to be without teeth and claws--- to be such a nincompoop?”
She smiled crookedly and I read in her expression: “ It is possible.”
I asked her pardon for the cruel lesson and , to her great surprise, gave her the eighty rubles. She murmured her litter “merci” several times and went out. I looked after her and thought: “How easy it is to crush the weak in this world!”

  1. 1.

    When the employer called Julia Vassilyevna in to talk with him, what he really wanted to do was _______

    1. A.
      to settle their accounts
    2. B.
      to criticize her for neglecting her duties as a governess.
    3. C.
      to play a joke on her so as to amuse himself.
    4. D.
      to teach her not to be so spineless.
  2. 2.

    The employer made all those criticisms about Julia Vassiliyevna’s work because __________

    1. A.
      she had neglected her duties.
    2. B.
      he wanted to pay her as little money as possible.
    3. C.
      he wanted to make her realize that she was being cheated and protest against it.
    4. D.
      he wanted to make her feel miserable.
  3. 3.

    Julia Vassilyevna accepted everything her employer said because ________

    1. A.
      she had in fact neglected her duties.
    2. B.
      she was a very dumb girl.
    3. C.
      she thought it was of no use to protest to her employer.
    4. D.
      she loved the children she taught.
  4. 4.

    The employer became very angry when Julia Vassilyevna said “ Merci” because ________

    1. A.
      she didn’t say “Merci” loudly.
    2. B.
      she didn’t protest to him.
    3. C.
      he thought that by simply saying “ Merci” she wasn’t polite enough.
    4. D.
      he didn’t like the way in which she stuffed the money into per pocket and expressed her thanks.
  5. 5.

    The text is about _______

    1. A.
      how a governess was cheated by her employer.
    2. B.
      how an employer tried to teach the governess a cruel lesson.
    3. C.
      how a governess was fired by her employer for being a nincompoop.
    4. D.
      how an employer punished the governess for not having done a good job.

Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life. Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity (长寿) boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Farr, who wrote that widows (寡妇)and widowers  were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could add as much as seven years to a man’s life and two to a woman’s. The effect holds for all causes of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.
Even if the odds are stacked against you, marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago has found that a married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn’t smoke. There’s a flip side, however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse’s death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems. Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30-year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.
So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio-economic factors, health-service provision, emotional support and other more physiological (生理的) mechanisms. For example, social contact can boost development of the brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological benefits of a supportive partner.
A life partner, children and good friends are all recommended if you aim to live to 100. The ultimate social network is still being mapped out, but Christakis says: “People are interconnected, so their health is interconnected.”

  1. 1.

    William Farr’s study and other studies show that _________.

    1. A.
      social life provides an effective cure for illness
    2. B.
      being sociable helps improve one’s quality of life
    3. C.
      women benefit more than men from marriage
    4. D.
      marriage contributes a great deal to longevity
  2. 2.

    Linda Waite’s studies support the idea that _________.

    1. A.
      older men should quit smoking to stay healthy
    2. B.
      marriage can help make up for ill health
    3. C.
      the married are happier than the unmarried
    4. D.
      unmarried people are likely to suffer in later life
  3. 3.

    It can be inferred from the context that the “flip side” (Line 4, Para. 2) refers to _________.

    1. A.
      the disadvantages of being married
    2. B.
      the emotional problems arising from marriage
    3. C.
      the responsibility of taking care of one’s family
    4. D.
      the consequence of a broken marriage
  4. 4.

    What does the author say about social networks?

    1. A.
      They have effects similar to those of a marriage.
    2. B.
      They help develop people’s community spirit.
    3. C.
      They provide timely support for those in need.
    4. D.
      They help relieve people of their life’s burdens.
  5. 5.

    What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

    1. A.
      It’s important that we develop a social network when young.
    2. B.
      To stay healthy, one should have a proper social network.
    3. C.
      Getting a divorce means risking a reduced life span.
    4. D.
      We should share our social networks with each other.

Are you a man or a mouse? When people ask this question they want to know if you think you are a brave person or a coward(胆小鬼). But you will never really know the answer to that question until you are tested in real life. Some people think they are brave, but when they come face to face with real danger, they act like cowards. Other people think of themselves as cowardly, but when they meet danger, they act like heroes.?
Lenny Sputnik had always thought of himself as a nervous person. He got worried before examinations. He worried about his job and his health. All he wanted in life was to be safe and healthy. Then, on 15th January 1982, a plane crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. Lenny went to the river to see what was happening. Then he saw a woman in the ice-cold water. Suddenly Lenny did not feel afraid. He kept very calm and did a very courageous thing. He jumped into the Potomac, swam to the woman, and kept her head above the water. Seventy-eight people died that day. Thanks to Lenny Sputnik, it was not seventy-nine.?
When you are in a very dangerous situation and feel afraid, the body automatically produces a chemical in the blood. This chemical is called adrenalin. With adrenalin in the blood system, you actually feel stronger and are ready to fight or run away. However, when you are completely terrified, the body can produce too much adrenalin. When this happens, the muscles become very hard and you find that you cannot move at all. You are then disabled with fear. That is why, when we are very frightened, we sometimes say that we are ‘petrified’. This word comes from the Greek word ‘peters’ which means ‘stone’. We are so frightened we have become like stone.?

  1. 1.

    According to the writer's opinion, a brave person can be judged by ______

    1. A.
      his words
    2. B.
      his thought?
    3. C.
      his action
    4. D.
      his looks?
  2. 2.

    From what Lenny did, we can conclude that __________?

    1. A.
      Lenny had a good chance
    2. B.
      Lenny was brave?
    3. C.
      Lenny liked swimming
    4. D.
      Lenny wanted to be a hero?
  3. 3.

    In great danger, a hero always keeps __________.?

    1. A.
      nervous
    2. B.
      worried?
    3. C.
      calm
    4. D.
      disappointed?
  4. 4.

    Adrenalin in our body is ________.?

    1. A.
      harmful
    2. B.
      useless?
    3. C.
      changeable
    4. D.
      dangerous?
  5. 5.

    If a person's body produces too much adrenaline, he will ________.?

    1. A.
      become stronger
    2. B.
      lose his feeling and power?
    3. C.
      become a stone
    4. D.
      become a hero

In ancient Japan, if you saved someone’s life, they would make it their duty to spend the rest of their life serving you. Nowadays, if you rescue someone’s story, he or she will feel the same kind of gratitude (感激).
It happens all the time. Someone in a group is telling a story and, just before their big point, BOOM! There’s an interruption. Someone new joins the group, a waiter with a plate of biscuits comes over, or a baby starts crying. Suddenly everyone’s attention turns to the new arrival, the food on the plate, or the “charming” little child. Nobody is aware of the interruption — except the speaker. They forget all about the fact that the speaker hasn’t made his or her point.
Or you’re all sitting around the living room and someone is telling a joke. Suddenly, just before their big punch line (妙语), little Johnny drops a dish or the phone rings. After the crash, everyone talks about little Johnny’s carelessness. After the call, the subject turns to the upcoming marriage or medical operation of the caller. Nobody remembers the great punch line got unfinished — except the joke teller. When it’s you entertaining everyone at a restaurant, have you ever noticed how you can almost set your clock by the waiter coming to take everyone’s order just before your funny punch line?
Most joke and story tellers are too shy to say, after the interruption, “Now, as I was saying …” Instead, they’ll spend the rest of the evening feeling bad they didn’t get to finish. Here’s where you come in. Rescue them with the technique I call “Lend a Helping Tongue.”
Watch the gratitude in the storyteller’s eyes as he stabilizes where his story sunk and he sails off again toward the center of attention. His expression and the appreciation of your consideration by the rest of the group are often reward enough. You are even more fortunate if you can rescue the story of someone who can hire you, promote you, buy from you, or otherwise lift your life. Big winners have excellent memories. When you do them subtle favors like Lend a Helping Tongue, they find a way to pay you back.

  1. 1.

    Very often, a storyteller cannot make his point because _________.

    1. A.
      people are more interested in food than his story
    2. B.
      many guests bring their babies to the party
    3. C.
      he is interrupted by something unexpected
    4. D.
      his story is easily forgotten by the listeners
  2. 2.

    From Paragraph 3, we know that when someone is telling a joke, _________.

    1. A.
      something bad will surely happen just before their punch line
    2. B.
      listeners’ attention is often drawn to something else
    3. C.
      the only person really interested in the joke is the joke teller
    4. D.
      the waiter knows when to take everyone’s order
  3. 3.

    How can we help the joke and story tellers when they are interrupted?

    1. A.
      By giving them a chance to finish.
    2. B.
      By comforting them to make them happy.
    3. C.
      By going on telling the story for them.
    4. D.
      By teaching them some useful techniques.
  4. 4.

    What is the text mainly about?

    1. A.
      People should learn how to take turns in a conversation.
    2. B.
      We can win someone’s heart by getting him back to his story.
    3. C.
      Telling jokes will make you the center of attention.
    4. D.
      It is impolite to cut in on someone’s talk.

Can you believe your eyes? A recent experiment suggests that the answer to that question may depend on your age.
Martin Doherty, a psychologist at the University of Stirling in Scotland, led the team of scientists. In this experiment, Doherty and his team tested the perception(观察力) of some people, using pictures of some orange circles. The researchers showed the same pictures to two groups of people. The first group included 151 children aged 4 to 10, and the second group included 24 adults aged 18 to 25.
The first group of pictures showed two circles alone on a white background. One of the circles was larger than the other, and these people were asked to identify the larger one. Four-year-olds identified the correct circle 79 percent of the time. Adults identified the correct circle 95 percent of the time.
Next, both groups were shown a picture where the orange circles, again of different sizes, were surrounded by gray circles. Here’s where the trick lies in. In some of the pictures, the smaller orange circle was surrounded by even smaller gray circles — making the orange circle appear larger than the other orange circle, which was the real larger one. And the larger orange circle was surrounded by even bigger gray circles — so it appeared to be smaller than the real smaller orange circle.
When young children aged 4 to 6 looked at these tricky pictures, they weren’t fooled — they were still able to find the bigger circle with roughly the same accuracy as before. Older children and adults, on the other hand, did not do as well. Older children often identified the smaller circle as the larger one, and adults got it wrong most of the time.
As children get older, Doherty said, their brains may develop the ability to identify visual context. In other words, they will begin to process the whole picture at once: the tricky gray circles, as well as the orange circle in the middle. As a result, they’re more likely to fall for this kind of visual trick.

  1. 1.

    Doherty and his team of scientists did an experiment to evaluate       .

    1. A.
      children’s and adults’ eye-sight
    2. B.
      people’s ability to see accurately
    3. C.
      children’s and adults’ brains
    4. D.
      the influence of people’s age
  2. 2.

    When asked to find the larger circle,       .

    1. A.
      children at 6 got it wrong 79 % of the time with no gray ones around
    2. B.
      only adults over 18 got it right 95% of the time with gray ones around
    3. C.
      children at 4 got it right about 79 % of the time with gray ones around
    4. D.
      adults got it right most of the time with gray ones around
  3. 3.

    According to the passage, we can know that       .

    1. A.
      a smaller orange circle appears bigger on a white background
    2. B.
      an orange circle appears bigger than a gray one of the same size
    3. C.
      a circle surrounded by other circles looks bigger than its real size
    4. D.
      a circle surrounded by bigger ones looks smaller than its real size
  4. 4.

    Visual context may work when children get older than       .

    1. A.
      4
    2. B.
      6
    3. C.
      10
    4. D.
      18
  5. 5.

    Why are younger children not fooled?

    1. A.
      Because they are smarter than older children and adults.
    2. B.
      Because older people are influenced by their experience.
    3. C.
      Because people’s eyes become weaker as they grow older.
    4. D.
      Because their brain can hardly notice related things together.

Ever since news of widespread food recalls caused by a carcinogenic dye broke, there has been confusion（混淆） over possible links to the country of the same name, but Sudan officials say there is no connection whatever.
Sudan?1 is a red industrial dye that has been found in some chilli powder, but was banned in food products across the European Union (EU) in July 2003.
Since the ban was put in place, EU officials have been striving to remove some food products from the shelves. So far 580 products have been recalled.
Last week Sudan’s Embassy in the United Kingdom asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for clarification of the origin of the dye’s name.
Omaima Mahmoud Al Sharief, a press official at Sudan’s Embassy in China, explained the purpose of the inquiry was to clear up any misunderstanding over links between the country and the poisonous dye.
"We want to keep an eye on every detail and avoid any misunderstanding there," she said. "Our embassy to Britain asked them how the dye got that name and whether the dye had something to do with our country. But they told us there was no relationship."
The FSA, an independent food security watchdog in Britain, received a letter from the Sudanese embassy last week.
"They asked us why the dye is named Sudan, however, we also do not know how it got the name," she said. "People found the dye in 1883 and gave it the name. Nobody knows the reason, and we cannot give any explanation before we find out."
Sudan dyes, which include Sudan?1 to 4, are red dyes（颜料） used for colouring solvents（溶剂）, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes. They are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

  1. 1.

    What does the underlined word mean in paragraph one?

    1. A.
      Causing cancer.
    2. B.
      Having side effect.
    3. C.
      Containing poison.
    4. D.
      Poisonous.
  2. 2.

    How did the Sudan?1 get its name?

    1. A.
      The dye is often produced in Sudan.
    2. B.
      The dye has something to do with the country named Sudan.
    3. C.
      Nobody is sure of the origin of the name.
    4. D.
      Many foods produced in Sudan contain the dye.
  3. 3.

    We can infer from the passage that.

    1. A.
      the Sudan government is paying much attention to the food safety
    2. B.
      Sudan?1 is often used to be added to the food
    3. C.
      people didn’t realize the danger of Sudan?1 until 2003
    4. D.
      many food shops will be closed down
  4. 4.

    Which of the following is the best title?

    1. A.
      Keep away from Sudan?1
    2. B.
      No Sudan?1 dye links to the country
    3. C.
      How Sudan?1 dye got its name?
    4. D.
      Pay attention to the food safety

When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your anger. But forgiveness is possible—and it can be surprisingly helpful to your physical and mental health. Indeed, research has shown that people who forgive report more energy, better appetite(胃口) and better sleep patterns. “People who forgive show less anger and more hopeful,” says Dr. Frederic Luskin, who wrote the book Forgive for Good. “So it can help save on the wear and tear on our system and allow people to feel more energetic.”
So when someone has hurt you, calm yourself first. Take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, someone you love. Don’t wait for an apology. “Many times the person who hurt you may never be thinking of apologizing,” says Dr. Luskin. “They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way. So if you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting a very long time.” Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean accepting the action of the person who upset you. Mentally going over your hurt gives power to the person who brought you pain. Instead, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you. Finally, try to see things from the other person’s perspective(视角). You may realize that he or she was acting out of ignorance(无知)，fear—even love. To gain perspective, you may want to write a letter to yourself from that person’s point of view.

  1. 1.

    The text is mainly written to explain ___.

    1. A.
      how to keep yourself from being hurt
    2. B.
      how to stay mentally healthy
    3. C.
      how and when to remain calm
    4. D.
      why and how to pardon others
  2. 2.

    According to the writer, what is the right way to calm down after being hurt?

    1. A.
      Try to figure out why you get hurt.
    2. B.
      Write a letter to the person who hurts you.
    3. C.
      Persuade yourself to accept what others have done to you.
    4. D.
      Think about pleasant things and forget about the hurt.
  3. 3.

    Dr. Luskin advised us not to wait for an apology after being hurt because___.

    1. A.
      we are not patient enough
    2. B.
      we’d feel worse accepting other’s apology
    3. C.
      people seldom want to apologize
    4. D.
      people don’t mean it when they apologize
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