The United States is already one year into a depression That was the news this week from the Na-tional Bureau of Economic Research. The downturn is the longest since a depression that began in 1981and lasted sixteen months.
Economists generally wait for production to shrink for six months in a row before they declare a re-cession. But the bureau, a private group, uses a wider set of information to measure the economy. Thenews only confirmed what many people already knew: that the world's largest economy is weak and maynot recover soon.
Worsening conclitions have led to a big drop in spending, especially on costly products like new cars. Even Japanese automaker Toyota saw its sales fall thirty - four percent in the United States in November from a year ago.
The heads of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors retumed to Congress this week to again ask for federal aid.  Congressional leaders denounced(指责) them two weeks ago after they came in private jets with no clear plans for saving their industry. This time, the chiefs drove to Washington in fuel- saving hybrid vehicles. And their companies presented detailed restructuring plans. The reguest for aid has risen from twenty-five billion dollars two weeks ago to thirty-four billion in loans and credit lines.
G.M. wants almost half of that, and says it needs four billion dollars this month. It warned that without support it cannot continue to operate.
Ford is in a better position, But the sharing of suppliers means it could be affected if G.M. or
Chrysler fails. Ford is asking for a nine billion dollar credit line in case it needs it.
Chrysler is the smallest and most trouble of America's Big Three. It says it needs a seven billion dollar loan by the end of the month.
Two days of congressional hearings began Thursday in the Senate Banking Committee. The chairman, Democrat Chris Dodd, said he would support helping the automakers for the good of the economy.
But the committee's top Republican, Richard Shelby, continued to express opposition to a bailout(贿政援助）.
A main root of the world financial crisis is the weak housing market in the United States. The Trea-sury Department has been under pressure to help troubled homeowners. Now comes news that the depart-ment is developing a plan aimed at reducing interest rates on mortgage loans(汽车贷款) for some buyers of homes. That could be good for homeowners trying to sell.

  1. 1.

    From the first two paragraphs, we know       .

    1. A.
      the United States is expected to recover soon
    2. B.
      the depression has lasted more than 16 months
    3. C.
      the depression is much more severe than expected
    4. D.
      the depression will last no more than 6 months
  2. 2.

    Why were the automakers refused for federal aid two weeks ago?

    1. A.
      Because the government had no extra money to help.
    2. B.
      Because they didn't have a ciear plan to save their industry.
    3. C.
      Because they had wasted too much on costly new cars.
    4. D.
      Because they had enough money to save their industry.
  3. 3.

    Which of the following is asking for the largest federal aide

    1. A.
      G.M.
    2. B.
      Toyota.
    3. C.
      Chrysler.
    4. D.
      Ford.
  4. 4.

    From the passage we may know Richard Shelby        tile automakers' request for federal aid?

    1. A.
      was for
    2. B.
      was against
    3. C.
      didn't care about
    4. D.
      took no notice of
  5. 5.

    Which of the following statement is NOT true according to the passage?

    1. A.
      The hearings on Thursday agreed on a federal aid to the automakers.
    2. B.
      The main cause of the crisis is weak housing market in the U.S..
    3. C.
      The government is taking measures to save t he housing market.
    4. D.
      The Treasury Department had to help the troubled homeowners.

The crisis at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear energy center caused by the terrible earthquake has raised questions about the future of the nuclear energy industry. Arjun is president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in the United States. He says the disaster in Japan is historic.
This week, the chairman of America’s nuclear agency said there is little chance that harmful radiation(辐射) from Japan could reach the United States. Gregory also said America has a strong program in place to deal with earthquake threats. No new nuclear power centers have been built in the United States since 1979. That was when America’s worst nuclear accident happened at the Three Mile Island center in Pennsylvania. The accident began to turn public opinion against nuclear energy. At present, about twenty percent of electricity in the United States comes from nuclear energy.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would close seven nuclear power centers for the time being while energy policy is reconsidered. The European Union is planning to test all centers in its twenty-seven member nations.
Developing nations are less willing to slow down the development of nuclear. China says it will continue with plans to build about twenty-five new nuclear reactors(核反应堆). And India, under a cooperation agreement with the United States, plans to spend billions on new centers in the coming years.
Nuclear reactors supply fourteen percent of global electricity. Nuclear energy is a clean resource, producing no carbon gases. But radioactive waste is a serious problem to be solved. So is the presence of nuclear power centers in earthquake areas like the one near Bushehr, lran.

  1. 1.

    We can learn from the text that America ________.

    1. A.
      experienced a terrible nuclear accident 32 years ago
    2. B.
      has a strong program to deal with radiation danger
    3. C.
      depends heavily on nuclear energy to produce electricity
    4. D.
      will check all the reactors before cooperating with India
  2. 2.

    According to the text, which country will be most likely to have a similar disaster?

    1. A.
      German.
    2. B.
      Iran
    3. C.
      India.
    4. D.
      China.
  3. 3.

    How does the author seem to feel about the future of nuclear energy?

    1. A.
      Satisfied.
    2. B.
      Pleased.
    3. C.
      Worried.
    4. D.
      Surprised.
  4. 4.

    The best title of the text is ______.

    1. A.
      Various Opinions on Japan’s Nuclear Disaster
    2. B.
      Japan’s Disaster is Likely to Run Out of Control
    3. C.
      America Shows Great Concern for Japan’s Nuclear Crisis
    4. D.
      Japan’s Disaster Throws Doubt on Nuclear Energy Industry

The best diet for you is the one that you can follow for the rest of your life. Most diets can get you to your goal if you do exactly what they say.
The first thing to do is to look at what you’re doing now. If it’s easier for you to see where you’re going wrong by writing down what you eat for the next week, then do that.
When you become familiar with the foods you choose to eat every day, it’s easy to start to subsitute(用…代替)healthier alternatives and make better choices. Let’s take a look at some common lifestyle choices that could help you lose weight easily.
Got a soda habit?
Drink a lot of soda or fruit juices? Substitute water and tea instead. Studies show that just this one substitution can help you drop 20 pounds in a year.
Spending a lot of time buying food at the drivethrough fast food joint?
Avoid anything that you can get through a drivethrough window. Bring your lunch instead. Home cooking almost automatically guarantees a meal that’s lower in fat and calories than anything you could get through a window.
Never finish a meal without grease(油脂) on your hands?
Deep-fried foods are loaded with calories and fat. Fry in a little olive oil, instead.
Always having a lot of sauces?
Holding the mayo(蛋黄酱)or anything else that’s creamy(含乳脂的)? If you’re ordering sandwiches with special sauce or mayo, then you’re eating a lot more calories and fat grams than you think you are. Some sauces can add more than 20 grams of fat, and hundreds of calories to your lunch. Mustard(芥茉)is a good alternative. It’s flavorful, and has virtually no calories or fat.
Take a look at what you’re doing, and make changes you can live with.

  1. 1.

    All the following will help you lose weight EXCEPT________.

    1. A.
      mustard     
    2. B.
      soda    
    3. C.
      tea      
    4. D.
      olive oil
  2. 2.

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

    1. A.
      To make a list of the food you like best can lose weight.
    2. B.
      To get a good idea of different foods is necessary.
    3. C.
      Home cooking is more delicious than snacks.
    4. D.
      Dropping 20 pounds in a year is difficult.
  3. 3.

    We can learn from the passage that________.

    1. A.
      mayo is beneficial to people’s health
    2. B.
      most people think that mustard tastes bad
    3. C.
      cooking is a waste of time 
    4. D.
      drinking water contributes to weight loss
  4. 4.

    Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

    1. A.
      The best diet is a lifestyle change     
    2. B.
      Stop buying fast food
    3. C.
      What to do for the rest of your life  
    4. D.
      Lead a healthy lifestyle

The Mississippi is the major river system in the United States. The Yangtze is China’s longest river.
Although a world apart, the two waterways share conservation concerns that provide a cultural bridge between students in the United States and China, as well as from around the world.
The Mississippi flows almost 3,800 kilometers from a small lake in Minnesota, gathering the waters of 250 other rivers and streams before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.
In mid-May, as spring flowers began to open, about 41 students from a dozen colleges, mostly in the Midwest, explored a section of the river in Wisconsin and Iowa, to learn about the environment, and each other.
The students, from the U.S., China and around the world, came to join the River Spirit Exchange program.
The cross-cultural educational experience - set up by the University of Wisconsin, Madison-based Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students - focuses on the Mississippi and China’s longest river, the Yangtze.
This three day get-together featured story-telling, hiking, camping and canoeing, all part of a larger lesson about conservation projects that can be used on both the Yangtze and Mississippi.
While the students learned about the problems challenging the Mississippi and Yangtze, Jeb Barzen, a wildlife biologist, explained they should also learn about the importance of bridging each other’s culture.
The president of the Environment and Public Health Network for Chinese Students, Xiaojun Lu, said the Mississippi and Yangtze Rivers are uniting these students from opposite ends of the earth.
Organizers say the success and spirit of this first gathering of students will lead to other trips, including one down the Yangtze.

  1. 1.

    Where is the source of the Mississippi?

    1. A.
      Minnesota
    2. B.
      the Gulf of Mexico
    3. C.
      Wisconsin
    4. D.
      Iowa
  2. 2.

    According to the passage, the get-together             .

    1. A.
      lasted a week
    2. B.
      took place in May
    3. C.
      was held in China
    4. D.
      was organized by students
  3. 3.

    According to Paragraph 8, Barzen believes that             .

    1. A.
      China and the U.S. should work together to protect the environment
    2. B.
      the Mississippi is more important than the Yangtze to the world
    3. C.
      cultural exchange between different countries is of great importance
    4. D.
      the program encourages technical cooperation between China and the U.S.
  4. 4.

    What is the passage mainly about?

    1. A.
      A major river system in the United States.
    2. B.
      The differences between the Mississippi and the Yangtze.
    3. C.
      An educational program about tourism.
    4. D.
      An international cultural exchange program.
  5. 5.

    Where is the passage most probably taken from?

    1. A.
      A personal diary
    2. B.
      A news report
    3. C.
      An official document
    4. D.
      An advertisement

The customs in different countries are rather different. If I have dinner with a Chinese host, he always puts more food onto my plate as soon as I have emptied it. That often discomforts me greatly. I have to eat the food even if I do not want to, because it is considered bad manners in the west to leave one’s food on the plate. I have also noticed that when a Chinese sits at an American’s dinner party, he often refuses the offer of drink though he’s in fact still hungry or thirsty. This might be good manners in China but it is not in the west at all. In the United States, it is impolite to keep asking someone again and again or insist on his accepting something. Americans have a direct way of speaking. If they want something, they will ask for it. If not, they will say, “No, thanks.” When an American is served with beer by the host, for example, he might say, “No, thanks. I’ll take some orange juice if you have it.” That is what an American will do. So when you go to the United States, you’d better remember the famous saying: “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

  1. 1.

    From this passage we can see that the writer is         .

    1. A.
      a Chinese
    2. B.
      a Roman
    3. C.
      an American
    4. D.
      a European
  2. 2.

    When a Chinese host kept putting more food onto his plate, the writer felt       .

    1. A.
      very happy
    2. B.
      sad
    3. C.
      angry
    4. D.
      uneasy
  3. 3.

    In the west, people consider it bad manners         .

    1. A.
      to refuse an offer
    2. B.
      to ask for something directly
    3. C.
      to eat at a dinner party
    4. D.
      to keep asking someone to accept something
  4. 4.

    A guest at an American’s dinner party should show his politeness by         .

    1. A.
      putting more food onto his plate as soon as he emptied it
    2. B.
      refusing the offer of food or drink though he is still hungry or thirsty.
    3. C.
      asking for things directly if he wants them
    4. D.
      not eating all the food offered

The Red Cross is an international organization which cares for people who are in need of help. A man in a Paris hospital who needs blood, a woman in Mexico who was injured in an earthquake, and a family in India that lost their home in a storm may all be aided by the Red Cross.
The Red Cross exists in almost every country around the world. The world Red Cross organizations are sometimes called the Red Crescent, the Red Mogen Daid, the Sun, and the Red Lion. All of these agencies share a common goal of trying to help people in need.
The idea of forming an organization to help the sick and wounded during a war started with Jean Henri Dunant. In 1859, he observed how people were suffering on a battlefield in Italy. He wanted to help all the wounded people regardless of which side they were fighting for. The most important result of his work was an international treaty called the Geneva Convention(日内瓦协定). It protects prisoners of war, the sick and wounded, and other citizens during a war.
The American Red Cross was set up by Clara Barton in 1881. Today the Red Cross in the United States provides a number of services for the public, such as helping people in need, teaching first aid and providing blood.

  1. 1.

    A good title for this passage is     .

    1. A.
      People in Need of Help
    2. B.
      Safety and Protection
    3. C.
      The International Red Cross
    4. D.
      Forming an Organization to Help People
  2. 2.

    The word “aided ” in the first paragraph means     .

    1. A.
      needed
    2. B.
      helped
    3. C.
      caught
    4. D.
      protected
  3. 3.

    The author really tries to make the reader see that this organization     .

    1. A.
      costs very little money
    2. B.
      works in many nations
    3. C.
      teaches first aid if necessary
    4. D.
      is called the Sun
  4. 4.

    We may draw a conclusion (下结论)that      during a war.

    1. A.
      the Red Cross only protects the wounded
    2. B.
      the Red Cross only helps prisoners of war
    3. C.
      the Red Cross only helps citizens
    4. D.
      the Red Cross helps all the people in need no matter which side they are fighting for

The income gap between China's rural and urban residents(居民) has continued to widen during the past few years in spite of rapidly rising rural incomes, Agricultural Minister Sun Zhengcai said here on Wednesday.
The income ratio(比率) between urban and rural residents was 3.28:1 in 2006, against 3.23:1 in 2003, said Sun in his report on the promotion of building a new countryside in 2007. Sun also said the net income of rural residents in different regions also varied widely. The income gap is only one of several problems in rural areas, according to Sun's report. While listing the achievements in rural areas in recent years, Sun believed that rural development still followed behind urban development.
"We have bigger pressure to ensure the supply of major agricultural products such as grain," he said. "China's urbanization(都市化) has been speeded up and more rural residents have gone to urban areas," he said.
"In this case, more agricultural producers become farm produce consumers, which created more pressure for supply," he said.
Another problem facing China's agricultural development is inadequate application of science and technology.
"Only 30 percent of scientific and technological achievements have been applied to agricultural production, which is 40 percentage points lower than developed countries," he said.
Despite increased government spending in rural areas, the infrastructure(基础下部组织) is still poor and easily hit by disasters.
According to Sun, the government spent 431.8 billion yuan ($59.15 billion) on agriculture, rural areas and farmers this year, an increase of 80.1 billion yuan over the previous year.
China set aside 11.38 billion yuan to promote a new rural cooperative medical care system and 27.98 billion yuan to support the new compulsory education mechanism in rural area to ensure that all citizens shared the fruits of China's reform and opening-up, Sun said.

  1. 1.

    Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

    1. A.
      Because of the rapidly rising rural incomes, the income gap between China's rural and urban residents will disappear this year.
    2. B.
      The net income of rural residents in different regions is the same.
    3. C.
      The government has taken measures to develop the economy in the rural areas.
    4. D.
      Because of the rapidly rising rural incomes, the supply of major agricultural products is enough.
  2. 2.

    Can you infer the meaning of the underlined words in paragraph 5?

    1. A.
      be made full use of
    2. B.
      be made little use of
    3. C.
      be not made full use of
    4. D.
      be made good use of
  3. 3.

    How much is spent on agriculture, rural areas and farmers the previous year?

    1. A.
      431.8 billion yuan
    2. B.
      511.9 billion yuan
    3. C.
      351.7 billion yuan
    4. D.
      80.1 billion yuan
  4. 4.

    Which is NOT the problem in rural areas?

    1. A.
      The income gap
    2. B.
      The inadequate application of science and technology
    3. C.
      The supply of major agricultural products
    4. D.
      China's urbanization

The new iPhone 3G should please everyone. Its look and feel are only slightly improved, but a faster network loads Web pages more quickly, true GPS functionality allows it to easily find places nearby, and the new $199 price (down from $400) makes it an affordable luxury.
Before deciding whether to buy, however, make sure you can actually take advantage of the iPhone 3G's high-speed data network. 3G stands for third-generation, which in non-geek speak translates to Web pages and mail messages that, ideally, load about three times faster than on the original iPhone. Even better, 3G coverage enables you to make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time. That's great, if you live or work in a place where the 3G network of AT&T（美国电话电报公司） (the sole wireless carrier of the iPhone) is active. That's not so great in cities like New York where AT&T's cellular coverage is awful. As one of my colleagues in New York City, who bought the original iPhone, commented, "It's just a toy. You can't make phone calls on it, so I carry my Verizon phone with me all the time."
The real fun begins when you tap on the icon called "App Store" and start browsing the hundreds of add-on applications that have been developed just for the iPhone. You'll find tons of games (I like JirboBreak, a free game inspired by the Atari classic Breakout) and mobile versions of popular websites like Pandora, Facebook, MySpace and the New York Times. Most apps will cost you, but the vast majority are $9.99 or less. The apps work on the old iPhones too, but you'll enjoy them a lot more on the iPhone 3G because many of the programs, including Yelp (local business reviews), Whrrl (mobile social networking) and UrbanSpoon (restaurant reviews), use your exact location — provided by the iPhone 3G's GPS chip — to make recommendations. The apps also load much faster over the 3G network.

  1. 1.

    The new iPhone 3G has following features except that _______

    1. A.
      It looks and feels better
    2. B.
      It has a faster network
    3. C.
      It is easy to locate a place
    4. D.
      It is too expensive for people to buy
  2. 2.

    Why do one of my colleagues carry Verizon phone with him all the time? ______.

    1. A.
      Because iPhone 3G is just a toy.
    2. B.
      ecause he prefers Verizon phone better.
    3. C.
      Because AT&T's cellular coverage is terrible there
    4. D.
      Because Verizon phone enables him make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time
  3. 3.

    Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage. ____.

    1. A.
      App Store will offer you great fun.
    2. B.
      many apps have been developed for the iPhone.
    3. C.
      Most apps are very expensive.
    4. D.
      Pandora, Facebook, MySpace and the New York Times are popular websites.
  4. 4.

    From the passage we know that the attitude of the author toward iPhone 3G is _____.

    1. A.
      doubtful
    2. B.
      appreciative
    3. C.
      optimistic
    4. D.
      pessimistic

The British are very polite and have good manners—they are never tired of saying “Thank you”，“I am sorry”， or “Excuse me.” They have good table manners. They enjoy their breakfasts and most of all the traditional tea around 4 or 5 o’clock.
The normal working week has five days. Factory workers usually start at 8 am and offices, shops and schools open at 9 am. Workers have 3 weeks’ holidays and professional workers(people with higher education ) have usually longer holidays (a month or more). Except these holidays they have public holidays: e.g. New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
An average Englishman like to live in his own house. Houses are made of red bricks, stone and wood. The house usually has from 4 to 6 rooms, two floors, small front and back gardens. On the ground floor there is a hall, a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace and on the first floor there are parents’ and children’s bedrooms and a bathroom. The prices of houses depend on the area—the most expensive are the houses in London and South England (about 200,000 pounds); smaller houses in other areas may cost about 50,000 pounds.
Social Welfare—The National Health Service gives largely free treatment for everyone living in Britain. People can choose their family doctors. In case of emergency you can call the ambulance by dialing 999 from everywhere. Health centres are run by local authorities. About 7 percent of hospitals, dentists and family doctors work as private.
There are about 130 daily and Sunday newspapers and a lot of weekly papers and magazines. The oldest newspaper is The Times. Other famous newspapers are Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Financial Times, etc.

  1. 1.

    If you are a student in Britain, when do you begin to go to school?

    1. A.
      At 6 am .
    2. B.
      At 9 am .
    3. C.
      At 8:00 am .
    4. D.
      At 9:30 am .
  2. 2.

    Which of the following about the British is false according to the passage?

    1. A.
      They have good manners when at table.
    2. B.
      They always have the traditional tea around 4 or 5 am.
    3. C.
      They love families and pets.
    4. D.
      They feel very tired when they say “Thank you”,“Sorry ” or “Excuse me.”
  3. 3.

    Who has the longest holiday?

    1. A.
      A shop assistant.
    2. B.
      A doctor.
    3. C.
      A factory worker.
    4. D.
      A nurse.
  4. 4.

    If you find someone seriously ill in Britain, what is the best thing you should do?

    1. A.
      Phone his family doctor.
    2. B.
      Take him to hospital.
    3. C.
      Dial 999.
    4. D.
      Find a doctor for him.

The first Starbucks coffee shop opened in 1971 in downtown Seattle, Washington, in the United States. It was a small coffee shop that roasted its own coffee beans. The coffee shop’s business did well, and by 1981 there were three more Starbucks stores in Seattle.
Things really began to change for the company in 1981. That year, Howard Schultz met the three men who ran Starbucks. Schultz worked in New York for a company that made kitchen equipment. He noticed that Starbucks ordered a large number of special coffee makers, and he was curious about the company. Schultz went to Seattle to see what Starbucks did , and he liked what he saw. He wanted to become part of the company. In 1982, the original Starbucks owners hired Schultz as the company’s head of marketing.
In 1983, Schultz traveled to Italy. The unique atmosphere of the espresso(浓咖啡) bars there caught his eye. To Schultz it seemed that Italians spent their daily lives in three places: home, work , and coffee bars . His experience in Italy gave Schultz a new idea for Starbucks back in Seattle.
Schultz created an atmosphere for Starbucks coffee shops that was comfortable and casual, and customers everywhere seemed to like it. Between 1987 and 1992, Starbucks opened 150 new stores---and that was only the beginning. As a matter of fact, by the year 2000, three new Starbucks stores opened somewhere around the world every day!
Today, Starbucks has thousands of stores, including stores in twenty-six countries. One thing that helps make Starbucks succeed in cities outside the United Stateds is the way Starbucks works with local stores and restaurants. By working together with a store already in the city, Starbucks gains an understanding of customers in the city.  This understanding helps Starbucks open stores in the right locations for their customers.

  1. 1.

    What is the main topic of the reading?

    1. A.
      how Starbucks has grown
    2. B.
      Starbucks’ customers
    3. C.
      what Starbucks makes
    4. D.
      how Starbucks makes its coffee
  2. 2.

    Which is true about Starbucks’ first ten years of business?

    1. A.
      It grew very quickly
    2. B.
      It was run by Howard Schultz
    3. C.
      It was a small company
    4. D.
      It made special coffee makers
  3. 3.

    Who is Howard Schultz?

    1. A.
      a coffee seller from New York
    2. B.
      the man who changed the company
    3. C.
      an Italian coffee maker
    4. D.
      one of the original owners of the company
  4. 4.

    About how many new Starbucks opened in 1999?

    1. A.
      3
    2. B.
      150
    3. C.
      300
    4. D.
      more than 1000
  5. 5.

    What helps Starbucks succeed in places outside the United States?

    1. A.
      opening restaurants in just a few locations each year.
    2. B.
      only selling locally produced coffee beans
    3. C.
      working with other major coffee-making companies
    4. D.
      learning about local customers.
 0  128766  128774  128780  128784  128790  128792  128796  128802  128804  128810  128816  128820  128822  128826  128832  128834  128840  128844  128846  128850  128852  128856  128858  128860  128861  128862  128864  128865  128866  128868  128870  128874  128876  128880  128882  128886  128892  128894  128900  128904  128906  128910  128916  128922  128924  128930  128934  128936  128942  128946  128952  128960  151629 

违法和不良信息举报电话：027-86699610 举报邮箱：58377363@163.com

精英家教网