“Get your hands off me, I have been stolen,” the laptop, a portable computer, shouted. That is a new solution to laptop computer theft: a program that lets owners give their property a voice when it has been taken.

The program allows users to display alerts on the missing computer’s screen and even to set a spoken message. Tracking software for stolen laptops has been on the market for some time, but this is thought to be the first that allows owners to give the thief a piece of their mind.

Owners must report their laptop missing by logging on to a website, which sends a message to the model: a red and yellow “lost or stolen” banner pops up on its screen when it is started. Under the latest version(版本) of the software, users can also send a spoken message.

The message can be set to reappear every 30 seconds, no matter how many times the thief closes it. “One customer sent a message saying, ‘You are being tracked. I am right at your door’,” said Carrie Hafeman, chief executive of the company which produces the program, Retriever.

In the latest version, people can add a spoken message. The default through the computer’s speakers is: “Help, this laptop is reported lost or stolen. If you are not my owner, please report me now.”

The Retriever software package, which costs $29.95 (￡21) but has a free trial period, has the functions of many security software programs. Owners can remotely switch to an alternative password prompt if they fear that the thief has also got hold of the access details.

If a thief accesses the internet with the stolen laptop, Retriever will collect information on the internet service provider in use, so that the police can be alerted to its location.

Thousands of laptops are stolen every year from homes and offices, but with the use of laptops increasing, the number stolen while their owners are out and about has been rising sharply.

Other security software allows users to erase data remotely or lock down the computer.

72. The expression “to give the thief a piece of their mind” can be understood as “_______”.

73. Different from other security software, Retriever can ______.

74. One function of the program is that it allows the owner to ______ at a distance.

A. change some access details for switching on the laptop

B. turn on the laptop by using the original password

C. operate the laptop by means of an alternative password

D. erase the information kept in the stolen laptop

75. Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of the passage?

A. With no Retriever, thousands of laptops are stolen every year.

B. A new software provides a means to reduce laptop theft.

C. Retriever has helped to find thieves and lost computers.

D. A new program offers a communication platform with the thief.

 (2011·安徽联考)—Sir, I'm here.

—Please listen. I ________ asking your parents to come to our school, but I'd like to hear your opinion first.

A．have considered 

B．am going to consider

C．considered 

D．have been considering

A.     Try to know more about your child.

B.      Being a daddy is your top priority.

C.      Value your child for what he is.

D.     Let your child teach you.

E.      Time is of the essence.

F.      Look for the good and praise it.

Seven Simple Rules for Dad

My main object in life is to make sure I do the best possible job rais­ing Tommy, now aged ten. That means I have to be the best possible father I can be. I am no psychologist, but I do see what succeeds with my son and me. I also observe other fathers. Here is what I have found works best in the dad department.

1.

The key to a happy child is having a dad who is there with him consis­tently, day in and day out. It is far better to spend evening after evening just sitting near him while he reads a book or plays on the computer than to spend a couple of hours every Saturday buying him toys or taking in a movie.

2. Share your strengths and fears.

You are your child's ally, not his adversary. The child who knows that his father was once afraid of the dark, and is still afraid of needles, gets to know that his own weaknesses are part of mankind, not a unique shame.

3.

 Encouragement is the primary engine of human development. I have been telling Tommy for a year now that he is a whiz in math because I know he can calculate in a nanosecond the number of toys he can buy with his allowance. Now he's a whiz in math at school too. Consistent recognition of a child's strengths is more important by far than vitamins. You deny it to them at their peril and yours.

4. Do not allow your children to be rude.

My son is expected to share, answer others when they greet him and congratulate those who succeed. By teaching him about politeness, I make sure he realizes that others' feelings are worth taking into account. If he can get that into his little towhead, he will have learned the most basic foundation of human interaction.

5.

A common misstatement about child development is that “kids don't come with instruction manuals(操作指南).” Not true—they do. They tell you when they’re hungry. They tell you when they're lonely or scared. They are like little guided tours of themselves. Children will tell you what they want, although not always with words. Fatigue, irritability and sadness are ways of telling Dad what they need. Look and listen.

6.

When Tommy knows he is loved for himself, not for any particular accomplishment, he has a certain peace that allows him to learn better, sleep better, play better, be more helpful around the house. Whether he becomes a rocket scientist or a plumber, I want Tommy to know he's No. 1 with me.

7.

If you decide your kids come before your sales quota or bridge game, you will find that all the other pieces of Daddyhood fall into place. When you put your kids first, you're getting the most value for every hour on earth. What’s more, you have made the rightest decision of your life.

—benjamin j. stein in The Washingtonian

The rain was coming down heavily and I was going to be late for an important conference. Dressing up quickly, I called for a taxi,        that it would be faster than the subway.

It wasn't.

After a long wait, I finally got one, but the traffic was heavy. I looked at my       from time to time. Just as the traffic started moving, the driver        a man up ahead in a wheelchair.

“Wouldn't he be cold sitting right there!” the driver cried and began to       .

I could see there would be another 20 minutes'       —        him into the cab, folding up his chair and putting it into the taxi's small      , then dropping him off who knows where.

“What are you doing?” I shouted to the driver.

As the       came out, I wanted to take them back. The wrongness of my       to the driver shocked me. Why did I let out the shout?

The driver      me and we continued the journey. Eventually I got out of the taxi and

     to the office. As I ran, I understood that, though it wasn't my duty to take the time to help others, I shouldn't have        the driver's stopping. I should have been able to see beyond my impatience to notice what was most inerrant (不会错的). Whenever I think of this incident, this is my   : I am not a       self-centered person, but I still feel       

of being self-centered. Living a busy life in a fast-paced big city, do we still need to stop to help those who are in need of help?

1.A. reminding　　　       B. expecting               C. realizing                D. attempting

2.A. computer                   B. document           C. message                D. watch

3.A. witnessed                   B. picked                   C. spotted                 D. observed

4.A. pull over                     B. take off                 C. pass by                  D. run away

5.A. complaining      B. suffering               C. waiting                  D. struggling

6.A. indicating                   B. recommending      C. lifting                     D. urging

7.A. trunk                    B. box                        C. window                 D. carriage

8.A. anxieties                     B. words                    C. results                   D. comments

9.A. reaction            B. request                 C. comment              D. suggestion

10.A. comforted      B. prevented           C. encouraged         D. ignored

11.A. escaped                   B. fled                        C. settled                   D. flooded

12.A. excited at                   B. thought about        C. made fun of           D. complained about

13.A. feeling             B. motto                    C. dream                   D. determination

14.A. skillfully                    B. strangely               C. particularly           D. hopefully

15.A. proud              B. aware                   C. ashamed               D. confident