Many businesses today use conferences as a means of discussing new plans of the company. As people are paying more attention to the environment and green problems, more businesses are looking for ways to reduce their negative effect on the environment. Many businesses do this by using web conferencing.

Web conferencing is a technology that allows people to communicate more effectively over the Internet. It is an easy way of hosting and attending conferences without having to leave the office. Each of the people involved in a web conference will be posted an invitation to the conference with the time and date of the Web conference on it. When the conference is ready to begin, all participants (参与者) must sit at their computers and they will be connected over the Internet.

With Web conferencing all participants attend the conference from the comfort of their own desk. Obviously, in doing this no fuel is used in traveling to and from a conference, and less work time is taken up in attending a conference.

Any material to be used during the Web conference is simply e-mailed to all the participants before the conference. Participants can then either choose to print material or read it on screen. This not only saves paper but also greatly reduces mailing cost for the business.

As a conference hall or business center isn’t being used, it means that the only power that is used is the power used by the participants’ personal computers. Similarly conference organizers don’t have to arrange for food or overnight accommodation (住宿) for participants of their conferences. All this means that less energy is used.

Often in business some companies actively choose to do business with other companies that do many things to reduce their negative impact on the environment. And Web conferencing helps you show other businesses that you are willing to work hard for the green cause.

So Web conferencing is much cheaper and greener and more people are willing to host and attend a web conference.

1. What is the passage mainly about?

A. Ways of protecting the environment.

B. B. Green benefits of Web conference.

C. Ways of hosting a Web conference.

D. Impacts of Web conferencing on costs.

2. According to paragraph 1, many companies use Web conferencing because they ________.

A. are interested in using any new technology

B. believe that Web conferencing is more convenient

C. want to do something to protect the environment

D. haven’t enough money to hold a traditional conference

3. The participants of a Web conference_________.

A. will be e-mailed an invitation before the conference

B. are required to sit in the office together

C. will receive many paper materials

D. must have access to the Internet

4. Which of the following words best describes the author’s opinion about a Web conference?

A. Useless.                                                        B. Environmentally friendly.      

C. Inconvenient.                                     D. Money-consuming.

(2013·高考天津卷)As I held my father’s hands one night，I couldn’t help but notice their calluses(老茧)and roughness.His hands tell the story of his life as a ____，including all his struggles.

One summer，I remember，a drought (旱灾) hit Ontario，turning it into a ____ desert.On one of those hot mornings I was picking sweet corn with my dad to fill the last ____ from the grocery store.Fifty dozen was all we needed，which ___ took twenty minutes.That morning，however，the process didn’t ___ quickly.After forty minutes of aimlessly walking in the field，we ____needed twenty dozen.I was completely frustrated and ___.Dropping the basket heavily，I declared, “If the store wants its last twenty dozen，they can pick it themselves！”Dad ____，“Just think，my little girl，only ten dozen left for each of us and then we’re ____.” Such is Dad－whatever problem he ____，he never gives up.

____，the disastrous effects of the drought were felt all over our country.It was a challenging time for everyone，____ Dad remained optimistic.He ____ to be grateful for other things like good health and food on our plates.Only then did I truly begin to ___ Dad and his faith that guided us through the hard times.

Dad is also a living example of real ____.From dawn to dusk，he works countless hours to___ our family.He always puts our happiness ____ his own，and never fails to cheer me on at my sports games ___ his exhaustion after long days.His loving and selfless nature has inspired me to become more sympathetic and ____，putting others first.

Dad，the life ____ I have learned from you will stay with me forever.You are my father，teacher，friend and，most importantly，my hero.

1.A.teacher? B．gardener

C．farmer? D．grocer

2.A.stormy? B．lively

C．disappearing? D．burning

3.A.order? B．form

C．gap? D．position

4.A.repeatedly? B．normally

C．finally? D．really

5.A.go??? B．begin

C．occur??? D．change

6.A.yet? B．still

C．even??? D．nearly

7.A.surprised? B．nervous

C．angry?? D．frightened

8.A.apologized? B．cried

C．complained? D．laughed

9.A.lost? B．done

C．gone? D．touched

10.A.meets with? B．brings up

C．works out?? D．thinks about

11.A.Thankfully? B．Hopefully

C．Unfortunately? D．Strangely

12.A.or? B．for

C．so??? D．but

13.A.happened? B．seemed

C．continued? D．aimed

14.A.face? B．appreciate

C．examine? D．question

15.A.love? B．pride

C．friendship? D．honesty

16.A.support? B．settle

C．start? D．impress

17.A.after? B．before

C．beside? D．under

18.A.in spite of? B．in terms of

C．in control of? D．in place of

19.A.careful? B．regretful

C．considerate? D．humorous

20.A.history? B．motto

C．patterns? D．lessons

Our “Mommy and Me” time began two years ago. My next-door neighbor and fellow mother, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of age 6 and under ride their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children out alone,” said Christie.

Then we worked out a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I’ll watch her other three. And when she watches two of mine, I’ll take someone out.

The children were extremely quick to accept the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie’s daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of questions. McKenzie was smiling broadly. Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She’s like a different child when there’s no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn’t have to make an effort to gain attention.

Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also discovered something different in each of my children during our alone times. For example, I am always surprised when my daughter, who is seldom close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering（口吃的）son, Tom, doesn’t stutter once during our activities since he doesn’t have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who’s always a follower when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.

The “Mommy and Me” time allows us to be simply alone and away with each child ---talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest gain. Every child deserves（应得到）to be an only child at least once in a while.

What is the text mainly about?

   A. The experience of the only child being with mother.

   B. The advantage of spending time with one child at a time.

   C. The happy life of two families.

   D. The basic needs of children.

Right after McKenzie came back, the other children were _____________.

   A. happy        B. curious        C. regretful        D. friendly

What is one of the changes the author finds in her children?

   A. The daughter acts like a leader.         B. Sam holds her hand more often.

   C. The boys become better followers.      D. Tom has less difficulty in speaking.

The author seems to believe that ___________.

   A. having brothers and sisters is fun

   B. it’s tiring to look after three children

   C. every child needs parents’ full attention

   D. parents should watch others’ children

C

Education is not an end but a means to an end．In other words, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them．Our purpose is to fit them for life．

In some modern countries, it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation．But we have already seen that free education for all is not enough; we find in some countries a far larger number of people with university degrees．They refuse to do what they think “low” work and, in fact, work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries．But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of professor．We can live without education, but we die if we have no food．If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases．

In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in certain ways．Firstly each of us can do whatever work suited to our brains and ability．Secondly, we should realize that all jobs are necessary to society．It is very bad to be shamed of one’s work．Only such a type of education can be considered valuable to society．

1.What would be the best title for the text?

A．The Means of Education．                B．The System of Education．

C．The Value of Education．                 D．The Type of Education．

2.From the second paragraph of the passage we know that ________．

A．work with hands is low work because it is dirty and shameful．

B．the work of the completely uneducated is the most important．

C．education is no more important than food in order to live．

D．we shouldn’t think of work with hands as low work．

3.What kind of educational system is valuable to society?

A．A large number of people can go to university．

B．Everyone can solve all the problems of society．

C．All the people can get free education．

D．Everyone must be educated differently to fit them for society．

4.What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Our society needs all kinds of jobs．

B．Free education for all is enough．

C．A farmer is more important than a professor．

D．People with university degrees shouldn’t do low work．

We all have our ways of marking time. As a photographer, my life is measured from one story to the next. My oldest son was born in the middle of a long story about the Endangered Species Act. My daughter came along with a pack of gray wolves.

Twenty stories later, though, it’s the story in Alaska that I’ll remember best. It was the story about the loss of wilderness — and the story during which my wife Kathy got cancer. That’s the one that made time stand still. I stopped taking pictures on the day when she found that tumor (肿瘤). Cruelly, it was Thanksgiving. By Christmas, she had become very weak. Some days she was so sick she couldn’t watch TV.

Early examination saves time. But ours was not early. By the time you can feel it yourself, it’s often bigger than the doctor want it to be.

Cancer is a thief. It steals time. Our days are already short with worry. Then comes this terrible disease, unfair as storm at harvest time. But cancer also has the power to change us, for good. We learn to simplify, enjoying what we have instead of feeling sorry for what we don’t. Cancer even made me a better father. My work had made me a stranger to my three kids. But now I pay attention to what really matters. This is not a race. This is a new way of life and new way of seeing, all from the cancer.

In the end each of us has so little time. We have less of it than we can possibly imagine. And even though it turns out that Kathy’s cancer has not spread, and her prognosis (诊断) is good. We try to make it all count now, enjoying every part of every day.

I’ve picked up my camera again. I watch the sky, searching for beautiful light. When winter storms come, Kathy and I gather our children and take the time to catch snowflakes (雪花) on our tongues. After all, this is good. This is what we’re living for.

1.As a photographer, the author used to ______.

A. leave his daughter with a pack of gray wolves

B. express his love for his family in a special way

C. miss a great many important historical moments

D. devote much more to his career than his family

2.Why did the author decide to stop taking pictures?

A. To cure his own disease.                                    B. To spend more time with his wife.

C. To seek a better position.                                   D. To leave the wilderness alone.

3.What is the biggest change the cancer has brought to the author?

A. He treasured every bit of time with his family.

B. He has become a stranger to his children.

C. He takes his work more seriously.

D. He focuses more on medical care.

4.The author and his family catch snowflakes on their tongues probably because ______.

A. the snowflakes taste very good                       

B. snowflakes are what they feed on

C. they regard that as a way to enjoy life            

D. there is beautiful light in the snowflakes