A few years ago my sister moved from her home in Alabama to Buffalo, New York. Since moving to Buffalo she’s become a big hockey fan and has encouraged me to start watching it. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to find hockey on television here in Alabama. Since hockey games don’t air very much on television I’ve had to look for different ways to watch hockey games.

I often see websites that claim if you go to their website you can watch television on your computer. I try out many of these websites hoping that one of the television stations is a northern station that airs hockey games. Unfortunately, most of them don’t work. Either the site doesn’t really give you what they advertise or their video player doesn’t work properly. But finally I’ve found one website that actually works.

Free Tube is a site that you can go to and watch Television online for free. You don’t have to download any kind of special software or pay money or even sign up for anything. All you have to do is go to Free Tube, choose your channel and start watching. 

The different channels to choose from are separated into different categories like news, business, entertainment, music and sports. You’re not going to find channels like NBC or ABC so you can watch the latest episode of Heroes or Grey’s Anatomy but it does include some popular channels like Cartoon Network and ESPN.

There is also a movie section. Each movie channel airs different sorts of films like adventure, classics, comedy or horror and that channel will always air that kind of movies. The movie section also includes my favorite station called Maxx Trailers (预告片). Maxx Trailers airs nothing but movies trailers 24 hours a day. Some of the trailers are for movies coming out and some are for movies that have already been released but already released movies don’t go back farther than a couple of months.

So far I haven’t had any problems with Free Tube’s video player either. Whenever I choose a channel, the video almost always works and usually loads every quickly. The only problem I have with Free Tube is that there is currently a glitch if you’re using Firefox. Once you choose a channel you can’t select another channel to change to, your web browser will freeze up. So if you’re using Firefox, the only way to switch channels is to leave the site and re-enter the site, when choosing what channel you want to go to. However, Free Tube is aware of this glitch and is working with Mozilla to get it fixed right away.

If you’re missing some show everyone is talking about like Grey’s Anatomy or Heroes, this isn’t really a solution for that. But Free Tube is a good way to find channels that you weren’t aware of; there are several good stations to be found.

1.The author mainly ________ in this passage.

A. tells us his experience in using the Web

B. introduces Free Tube to the readers

C. shows us the disadvantages of Free Tube

D. shows us how to enjoy films online

2.The author got interested in watching hockey games ________

A. because he is a sports fan

B. due to his sister’s influence

C. since everyone enjoys the games

D. because he has nothing to do all day long

3.From the passage we can learn that ______________

A. the author is also very fond of movies           

B. Maxx Trailers airs to-be-released movies

C. ABC is a very famous TV station in America   

D. Firefox is the only software used to watch films online

4. The underlined word “glitch” probably means _________

A. cover                 B. change            C. note                  D. fault

A few degrees can make a big difference when it comes to food storage. Foods can go bad if they get too warm. But for many of the world’s poor, finding a good way to keep food cool is difficult. Refrigerators are costly and they need electricity.

   Yet spoiled food not only creates health risks but also economic losses. Farmers lose money when they have to throw away products that they cannot sell quickly.

    But in nineteen ninety-five a teacher in northern Nigeria named Mohammed Bah Abba found a solution. He developed the “Pot-in-Pot Preservation/Cooling System.” It uses two round containers made of clay. A smaller pot is placed inside a larger one. The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand. The inner pot can be filled with fruit, vegetables or drinks. A wet cloth covers the whole cooling system.

    Food stored in the smaller pot is kept from spoiling through a simple evaporation(蒸发) process. Water in the sand between the two pots evaporates through the surface of the larger pot, where drier outside air is moving.

    The evaporation process creates a drop in temperature of several degrees. This cools the inner pot and helps keep food safe from harmful bacteria. Some foods can be kept fresh this way for several weeks.

    People throughout Nigeria began using the invention. And it became popular with farmers in other African countries. Mohammed Bah Abba personally financed the first five thousand pot-in-pot systems for his own community and five villages nearby.

    In two thousand, the Rolex Watch Company of Switzerland honored him with the Rolex Award for Enterprise. This award recognizes people trying to develop projects aimed at improving human knowledge and well-being. A committee considers projects in science and medicine, technology, exploration and discovery, the environment and cultural history. Winners receive financial assistance to help develop and extend their projects.

1.Which is the best title of the passage?

A.  A Few Degrees can Make a Big Difference for Storage

B.  A Cool Way to Keep Food from Spoiling

C.  Spoiled Food Creates Health Risks and Economic Losses

D.  The Evaporation Process Creates a Drop in Temperature

2.What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

A. the structure of the invention

B. the usage of the invention

C. the cost of the invention

D. the inspiration of the invention

3.What is it that essentially keeps the food in the container from spoiling?

A. the wet cloth covering the cooling system.

B. the moving drier air outside the container

C. the wet sand between the containers

D. a drop in temperature by evaporation

4.According to the passage, where can we possibly see the invention?

A. rich and advanced families

B. scientific experiment laboratory

C. poor and underdeveloped area

D. supermarket needing to store goods

5.We can know from the passage that Mohammed Bah Abba ____________.

A. invented the controversial cooling system

B. financed the systems in all communities

C. received financial assistance for his invention

D. invented more complicated cooling system later

A few minutes ago , walking back from lunch , I started to cross the street when I heard the sound of a coin dropping . It wasn’t much but , as I turned , my eyes caught the heads of several other people turning too . A woman had dropped what appeared to be a dime .

The tinkling sound of a coin dropping on sidewalk is an attention-getter . It can be nothing more than a penny . Whatever the coin is , no one ignores the sound of it . It got me thinking about sounds again .

We are surrounded by so many sounds that attract the most attention . People in New York City seldom turn to look when a fire engine, a police car or an ambulance comes screaming along the street .

When I’m in New York , I’m a New Yorker . I don’t turn either . Like the natives . I hardly hear a siren (警笛) there .

At home in my little town in Connecticut, it’s different . The distant loud noise of a police car , an emergency vehicle or a fire siren brings me to my feet if I’m seated and brings me to the window if I’m in bed .

It’s the quietest sounds that have most effect on us , not the loudest . In the middle of the night , I can hear a dripping tap a hundred yards away through three closed doors . I’ve been hearing little creaking noises and sounds which my imagination turns into footsteps in the middle of the night for twenty-five years in our house . How come I never hear those sounds in the daytime ?

I’m quite clear in my mind what the good sounds are and what the bad sounds are .

I’ve turned against whistling , for instance . I used to think of it as the mark of a happy worker but lately I’ve been connecting the whistler with a nervous person making noises .

The tapping , tapping ,tapping of my typewriter as the keys hit the paper is a lovely sound to me .  I often like the sound of what I write better than the looks of it .

63．The sound of a coin dropping makes people       .

       A．think of money                                   B．look at each other

       C．pay attention to it                                D．stop crossing the street

64．How does the author relate to sounds at night ?

       A．He imagines sounds that do not exist .

       B．He thinks taps should be turned off .

       C．He believes it’s rather quiet at night .

       D．He overstates quiet sounds .

65．He dislikes whistling because       .

       A．he is tired of it                                    B．he used to be happier

       C．it reminds him of tense people              D．he doesn’t like workers

66．What kind of sound does he find pleasant ?

       A．Tapping of his typewriter .                    B．Clinking sound of keys .

       C．Tinkling sound of a coin dropping .       D．Creaking sounds .

67．How does the writer feel about sounds in general ?

       A．They make him feel at home .

       B．He thinks they should be ignored .

       C．He believes they are part of our lives .

       D．He prefers silence to loud noises .

A few minutes ago, walking back from lunch I started to cross the street when I heard the sound of a coin dropping. It wasn’t much but, as I turned, my eyes caught the heads of several other people turning too. A woman had dropped what appeared to be a dime.

       The tinkling sound of a coin dropping on sidewalk is an attention-getter. It can be nothing more than a penny. Whatever the coin is, no one ignores the sound of it. It got me thinking about sounds again.

       We are surrounded y so many sounds that attract the most attention. People in New York City seldom turn to look when a fire engine, a police car or an ambulance comes screaming along the street.

       When I’m in New York, I’m a New Yorker. I don’t turn either. Like the natives. I hardly hear a siren (警笛) there .

       At home in my little town in Connecticut, it’s different. The distant loud noise of a police car , an emergency vehicle or a fire siren brings me to my feet if I’m seated and brings me to the window if I’m in bed .

       It’s the quietest sounds that have most effect on us, not the loudest. In the middle of the night, I can hear a dripping tap a hundred yards away through three closed doors. I’ve been hearing little creaking noises and sounds which my imagination turns into footsteps in the middle of the night for twenty-five years in our house. How come I never hear those sounds in the daytime?

       I’m quite clear in my mind what the good sounds are and what he bad sounds are

       I’ve turned against whistling, for instance. I used to think of it as the mark of a happy worker but lately I’ve been connecting the whistler with a nervous person making noises.

       The tapping, tapping, tapping of my typewriter as the keys hit the paper is a lovely sound to me. I often like the sound of what I write better than the looks of it.

1．The sound of a coin dropping makes people _________

       A．think of money                                          B．look at each other          

C．pay attention to it                                D．stop crossing the street

2．How does the author relate to sounds at night?

       A．He imagines sounds that do not exist.

B．He thinks taps should be turned off

C．He believes it’s rather quiet at night

D．He overstates quiet sounds

3．He dislikes whistling because __________.

       A．he is tired of it                                           B．he used to be happier

C．it reminds him of tense people               D．he doesn’t like workers

4．What kind of sound does he find pleasant?

       A．Tapping of his typewriter                            B．Clinking sound of keys

C．Tinkling sound  of a coin dropping              D．Creaking sounds

5．How does the writer feel about sounds in general?

       A．They make him feel at home                

B．He thinks they should be ignored

C．He believes they are part of our lives    

D．He prefers silence to loud noises

A few degrees can make a big difference when it comes to food storage. Foods can go bad if they get too warm. But for many of the world’s poor, finding a good way to keep food cool is difficult. Refrigerators are costly and they need electricity.

       Yet spoiled food not only creates health risks but also economic losses. Farmers lose money when they have to throw away products that they can not sell quickly.

       But in 1995, a teacher in northern Nigeria named Mohammed Bath Abba found a solution. He developed the “Pot-in-Pot Preservation/Cooling System”. It uses two round containers made of clay. A smaller pot is placed inside a larger one.

       The space between the two pots is filled with wet sand. The inner pot can be filled with fruit, vegetables or drinks. A piece of wet cloth covers the whole cooling system.

       Food stored in the smaller pot is kept from spoiling through a simple evaporation (蒸发) process. Water in the sand between the two pots evaporates through the surface of the larger pot, where drier outside air is moving.

       The evaporation process creates a drop in temperature of several degrees. This cools the inner pot and helps keep food safe from harmful bacteria. Some foods can be kept fresh this way for several weeks.

       People throughout Nigeria began using the invention. And it became popular with farmers in other African countries. Mohammed Bah Abba personally financed (资助) the first five thousand pot-in-pot systems for his own community and five villages nearby.

       In 2000, the Rolex Watch Company of Switzerland honored him with the Rolex Award for Enterprise. This award recognizes people trying to develop projects aimed at improving human knowledge and well-being.

       A committee considers projects in science and medicine, technology, exploration and discovery, the environment and cultural history. Winners receive financial assistance to help develop and extend their projects.

       The award is given every two years. The next one will be given in 2008.

77. According to the text, why will the food in the inner pot not go bad?

       A. The temperature is lower than the outside.

       B. Both of the pots are made of clay.

       C. It is covered with a wet cloth.

       D. Drier air is moving outside the pots.

78. What makes foods go bad if they get too warm according to the text?

       A. The water in the food.                           B. The air around the food.

       C. The harmful bacteria.                           D. The writer doesn’t mention it.

79. Rolex Watch Company gave Mohammed Bah Abba an award because ______________ .

       A. he saved lots of energy like electricity

B. he made a contribution to common people

       C. he was more than a good teacher

       D. he made a great discovery in Africa

80. From the text we can infer this article was probably written in _______________.

       A. 1995                    B. 2000                    C. 2004                    D. 2007