If California were not already so famous for Sillicon Valley(硅谷) and Hollywood, it might be well－known for the groups of water－technology firms in its San Diego County. The reverse－osmosis (RO) spiral module, the technique that supports turning seawater and waste－water into drinkable stuff, began in San Diego in 1964. Today dozens of firms in the area supply many of the world's approximately 13，000 RO plants in places from the Persian Gulf and Israel to Australia and China.

Southern California itself, however, has not so far been a big user of its own technology. This is surprising, given that the whole American south－west faces a water problem. But now as the climate gets warmer and the population increases, there is more agreement that the existing infrastructure, consisting of vast pipes that carry water from the Sacramento Delta in the north and the Colorado River in the east, will not be enough. In places such as San Diego, which has inadequate and salty groundwater and currently imports 90% or its water, the answers must be greater conservation, reusing as much water as possible, and getting most of the rest from the sea.

The first part, conservation, has been widely accepted by the public. San Diego today uses less water with a larger population than it did in 1989, the year water consumption peaked. The second part, water recycling has been a hard sell, because of an unpleasant factor. Americans still use the term “toilet－to－tap” for recycling, even though properly treated waste－water is nowadays completely clean. Singapore made its programme acceptable in part by renaming it as NEWater.

This is where desalination comes in, which means taking the salt out of salt water. A firm called Poseidon Resources is now close to building the biggest desalination plant in America behind a power station by the beach in Carlsbad. The power plant sucks in 304m gallons of seawater a day for cooling, so Poseidon plans to change 104m gallons a day by using the RO spiral module.

Lots of people like the idea. Once fully running in 2015, the plant could produce 10% of the region's water. And there are plans for more desalination plants. Many places would need to take much less water from the endangered Colorado River. But a few people hate it a lot. Joe Geever, an expert in biology, says desalination uses too much energy and that Poseidon plant would kill too much sea life. He understands that there is a role for desalination, he says, but would rather not have it right there, right now, and on this scale.

1.Which of the following is WRONG about the RO spiral module according to the passage?

A. This technology is not widely used in its birthplace.

B. Today there are about 13，000 RO plants in the Persian Gulf, Israel, Australia and China.

C. This technology can be used in desalination plants to make sea water drinkable.

D. It is a promising water treatment technology welcomed by a lot of people.

2.How many solutions to the water problem in San Diego are mentioned in the article?

A. 2.  B. 3.  C. 4.  D. 5.

3.What can we infer from the article?

A. The Colorado River is the main water source for California.

B. Americans still use the term “toilet－to－tap” for recycling water.

C. NEWater serves as a brand for recycled clean water in Singapore.

D. Poseidon Resources stands for the power station by the beach in Carlsbad.

4.What is Joe Geever's attitude toward building a large desalination plant at present?

A. Supportive.  B. Negative.  C. Optimistic.  D. Vague.

If California were not already so famous for Sillicon Valley(硅谷) and Hollywood, it might be well-known for the groups of water-technology firms in its San Diego County. The reverse-osmosis (RO) spiral module, the technique that supports turning seawater and waste-water into drinkable stuff, began in San Diego in 1964. Today dozens of firms in the area supply many of the world's approximately 13，000 RO plants in places from the Persian Gulf and Israel to Australia and China.
Southern California itself, however, has not so far been a big user of its own technology. This is surprising, given that the whole American south-west faces a water problem. But now as the climate gets warmer and the population increases, there is more agreement that the existing infrastructure, consisting of vast pipes that carry water from the Sacramento Delta in the north and the Colorado River in the east, will not be enough. In places such as San Diego, which has inadequate and salty groundwater and currently imports 90% or its water, the answers must be greater conservation, reusing as much water as possible, and getting most of the rest from the sea.
The first part, conservation, has been widely accepted by the public. San Diego today uses less water with a larger population than it did in 1989, the year water consumption peaked. The second part, water recycling has been a hard sell, because of an unpleasant factor. Americans still use the term “toilet-to-tap” for recycling, even though properly treated waste-water is nowadays completely clean. Singapore made its programme acceptable in part by renaming it as NEWater.
This is where desalination comes in, which means taking the salt out of salt water. A firm called Poseidon Resources is now close to building the biggest desalination plant in America behind a power station by the beach in Carlsbad. The power plant sucks in 304m gallons of seawater a day for cooling, so Poseidon plans to change 104m gallons a day by using the RO spiral module.
Lots of people like the idea. Once fully running in 2015, the plant could produce 10% of the region's water. And there are plans for more desalination plants. Many places would need to take much less water from the endangered Colorado River. But a few people hate it a lot. Joe Geever, an expert in biology, says desalination uses too much energy and that Poseidon plant would kill too much sea life. He understands that there is a role for desalination, he says, but would rather not have it right there, right now, and on this scale.

1. 1.

   Which of the following is WRONG about the RO spiral module according to the passage?

   1. A.
      This technology is not widely used in its birthplace.
   2. B.
      Today there are about 13，000 RO plants in the Persian Gulf, Israel, Australia and China.
   3. C.
      This technology can be used in desalination plants to make sea water drinkable.
   4. D.
      It is a promising water treatment technology welcomed by a lot of people.
2. 2.

   How many solutions to the water problem in San Diego are mentioned in the article?

   1. A.
      2.
   2. B.
      3.
   3. C.
      4.
   4. D.
      5.
3. 3.

   What can we infer from the article?

   1. A.
      The Colorado River is the main water source for California.
   2. B.
      Americans still use the term “toilet-to-tap” for recycling water.
   3. C.
      NEWater serves as a brand for recycled clean water in Singapore.
   4. D.
      Poseidon Resources stands for the power station by the beach in Carlsbad.
4. 4.

   What is Joe Geever's attitude toward building a large desalination plant at present?

   1. A.
      Supportive.
   2. B.
      Negative.
   3. C.
      Optimistic.
   4. D.
      Vague.

If California were not already so famous for Sillicon Valley(硅谷) and Hollywood, it might be well－known for the groups of water－technology firms in its San Diego County. The reverse－osmosis (RO) spiral module, the technique that supports turning seawater and waste－water into drinkable stuff, began in San Diego in 1964. Today dozens of firms in the area supply many of the world's approximately 13，000 RO plants in places from the Persian Gulf and Israel to Australia and China.

Southern California itself, however, has not so far been a big user of its own technology. This is surprising, given that the whole American south－west faces a water problem. But now as the climate gets warmer and the population increases, there is more agreement that the existing infrastructure, consisting of vast pipes that carry water from the Sacramento Delta in the north and the Colorado River in the east, will not be enough. In places such as San Diego, which has inadequate and salty groundwater and currently imports 90% or its water, the answers must be greater conservation, reusing as much water as possible, and getting most of the rest from the sea.

The first part, conservation, has been widely accepted by the public. San Diego today uses less water with a larger population than it did in 1989, the year water consumption peaked. The second part, water recycling has been a hard sell, because of an unpleasant factor. Americans still use the term “toilet－to－tap” for recycling, even though properly treated waste－water is nowadays completely clean. Singapore made its programme acceptable in part by renaming it as NEWater.

This is where desalination comes in, which means taking the salt out of salt water. A firm called Poseidon Resources is now close to building the biggest desalination plant in America behind a power station by the beach in Carlsbad. The power plant sucks in 304m gallons of seawater a day for cooling, so Poseidon plans to change 104m gallons a day by using the RO spiral module.

Lots of people like the idea. Once fully running in 2015, the plant could produce 10% of the region's water. And there are plans for more desalination plants. Many places would need to take much less water from the endangered Colorado River. But a few people hate it a lot. Joe Geever, an expert in biology, says desalination uses too much energy and that Poseidon plant would kill too much sea life. He understands that there is a role for desalination, he says, but would rather not have it right there, right now, and on this scale.

43．Which of the following is WRONG about the RO spiral module according to the passage?

A. This technology is not widely used in its birthplace.

B. Today there are about 13，000 RO plants in the Persian Gulf, Israel, Australia and China.

C. This technology can be used in desalination plants to make sea water drinkable.

D. It is a promising water treatment technology welcomed by a lot of people.

44．How many solutions to the water problem in San Diego are mentioned in the article?

A. 2.  B. 3.  C. 4.  D. 5.

45．What can we infer from the article?

A. The Colorado River is the main water source for California.

B. Americans still use the term “toilet－to－tap” for recycling water.

C. NEWater serves as a brand for recycled clean water in Singapore.

D. Poseidon Resources stands for the power station by the beach in Carlsbad.

46．What is Joe Geever's attitude toward building a large desalination plant at present?

A.Supportive.  B. Negative.  C. Optimistic.  D. Vague.

Chinese White Collars（白领） Go Down on the Farm

The latest craze among China’s white collar workers, reported in the British newspaper the Daily Telegraph, is an online virtual agricultural game called “Happy Farm.” Virtual farmers can visit each other’s farm, trade livestock and can use real cash to buy virtual (虚拟的) items such as special tools, quality seeds, and animals. The free game is played through social networking sites like kaixin001.com, Face book or xiaonei.com.

Urban office workers can escape the pressures and stresses of everyday life and enter a peaceful virtual existence where players can grow vegetables, practice animal farming and receive satisfaction that comes with a hard-won harvest. Because most Chinese white collars have little amusement after work, Happy Farm gives them a virtual world to make their dreams come true.

Global Times, an English language daily based in Beijing, recently reported that there are more than 15 million Chinese urbanites spending more than five hours a day on their virtual “farms.”

According to the English language website of the People’s Daily newspaper, the increased interest in farming among some urban office workers has resulted in some of them becoming real hobby farmers, tending small plots of land in their free time. Mr. Liu, a white collar worker, has rented a piece of farmland for RMB 3000. Mr. Liu and his family like to drive down to their farm on the weekend and do different farming tasks such as watering, weeding, fertilizing and worming. Later on, cabins will be built on agricultural land making it possible for part-time farmers like Mr. Liu to stay on their land for two weeks enabling them to get a little taste of a farmer’s life.

It is a rather interesting social development that some of urban office workers are becoming interested in farming and agriculture, while large numbers of farmers and agricultural workers continue to move to the cities.

1.What is “Happy Farm”? (No more than 7 words)

2.Why do more and more Chinese white collars go down on Happy Farm?

(No more than 14 words)

3.List 4 farming tasks Mr. Liu and his family do on their farms. (No more than 5 words)

4.How long do Chinese urbanites spend on their virtual farms every day? (No more than 4 words)

请根据Helen, Sophie，Peter, Elena和Jacques五人各自的情况，从A、B、C、D、E、F六条信息中选出适合各人的匹配选项（选项中有一项为多余项）。

1.Helen: A foreign tourist who loves rare animals.

2.Sophie: An economical mother with three children on holiday.

3.Peter: A man traveling in the north on business who enjoys southern dishes.

4.Elena: A young lady who pays special attention to her appearance.

5.Jacques: A French businessman who is particular about lifestyle.

A．Shangri-La Hotel Harbin

Located on the banks of the picturesque Songhua River, S.hangri-La Hotel Harbin is close to the city’s bustling business district and about 50 kilometers from the airport. Its 404 guestrooms, combining comfort and luxury, include the specially designed Horizon Club Executive Suite on floors 14 though 16. These cater to discerning ousiness travelers and offer fast check-in and check-out privileges, free breakfast and afternoon tea. The hotel’s Chinese restaurant Shang Palace is renowned for its authentic Cantonese dishes, but serves local Heilongjiang dishes and Sichuan fare too. The hotel has an imposing l,350-square-meter banquet hall that can accommodate over l,000 diners.

B．Sofitel Xi’an on Renmin Square

Ideally located inside the Xi’an aty wall, Sofitel Xi’an on Renmin Square has 414 well-decorated guest rooms and suites equipped with elegant furniture and excellent facilities,including rainforest shower, broadband internet, and the specially designed Sofitel MyBed, which treats every Sofitel guest to the distinctions of a-French lifestyle. In addition, the ClubSofitel lounge and all its 560 rooms and suites are equipped with advanced facilities, with a staff ready to provide tailor-made services that meet the demands of discerning business travelers.

C．Millennium Hotel Chengdu

The Millennium Hotel Chengdu, the newest upscale 5-star hotel in the Millennium Hotels & Resorts family, has opened its doors. Situated in ‘the Chengdu Hi-tech Zone, the hotel features 360 elegant rooms, with beautiful views towering over the ‘Iush Shenxianshu ‘Park and nearby Zishan Road, which is also known as “European Street.” The hotel features a 400-square-meter banquet hall and 9 smaller meeting halls, providing an ideal place for conferences- or business activities. Special packages for company year-end parties and wedding celebrations are available.In addition, the hotel's distinctive London cabs are on hand to whisk guests in style to destinations like the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport and the Chengdu Panda Base.

D．Hilton Beijing Wangfujing

The Hilton Beijing Wangfujing presents its “Spring Essentials Spa Package”, inviting guests to indulge themselves in an organic body wrap, and lavish themselves with perfect moisture and skin-care, coupled with a massage (90 minutes) that will restore and renew the bodys energy flow. This promotion is now available for only RMB 780-35 percent off the normal rate of RMB l,260 for this luxurious service.

The Spa, located on the hotel's sixth floor, is open daily from l0 am to 11 pm.

Address: 8 Wangfujing East Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

E.Legendale Hotel Beijing

On Easter weekend April 3 and 4 (Saturday and Sunday), chefs of the Legendale Hotel Beijing will serve up a special selection of delicious holiday cuisines, various desserts and traditional painted eggs to celebrate Easter. Plenty of traditional fun and games including egg hunts, pictures with the Easter Bunny, face painting and Easter egg decorating for you and your kids to take part in．

Lunch time: 12:00 t0 14:30

Price: RMB 288 per adult (including sott drinks and wine but excluding service fee)

Up to two children per table a meal!

F, Zhaolong Hotel

The Zhaolong Hotel is conveniently located in Beijing’s Central Business District in Chaoyang, adjacent to the Yingke Center, home to many business giants and the well-known Sanlitun Village for shopping and entertainment. The hotel has 270 cozy, exquisitely decorated guestrooms set in a tranquil environment. VIP guests staying in the hotel’s suites on the Executive Floor will have a privilege to enjoy a variety of tailor-made services. The restaurants in the hotel, which include the Hanmeifang Chinese Restaurant, Treasure Food Palace, the Tandoor Indian Restaurant, the Emerald Cafe, Lobby Bar and Longxi Function Room, provide guests with a fine selection of cuisines and professional conference services.