155. In Beijing volunteers are making use of every minute to ______ their foreign languages because volunteers must pass a written test and an interview.

In Beijing volunteers are making use of every minute to         their foreign language because language volunteers must pass a written test and an interview.

A．polish up       B．take up         C．put up          D．make up

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The making of glass is a very old industry-at least 4, 500 years old. Glass has many extraordinary qualities and it is frequently being used in new ways. One of the most interesting new uses for glass is in telephone communication. Scientists have developed glass fibres as thin as human hair which are designed to carry light signals. When the light reaches the other end, it is first changed into electrical signals, which are in turn converted(转变) into sound messages. Called lightwave communication, the new system was used successfully in an experiment in Chicago in 1977. During the experiment two glass fibres were able to carry 672 conversations at the same time. The lightwave cable, containing 144 glass fibres, has the capacity(容量) to carry 50,000 conversations at the same time. The lightwave communication system has two important advantages. First the glass fibre cables are smaller and weigh less than copper(铜) cables; second, they cost less.

1．One of the extraordinary qualities of glass is that it can carry ________.

[　　]

2．Before you can hear a message on the telephone using the new system ________.

[　　]

A．the light signals have to be Changed into electrical sound

B．neither the light nor the electrical signals have to be changed in any way

C．light must first be changed into electrical signals and then into sound

D．electrical signals must first be changed into light signals and then into sound

3．According to the passage the new telephone communication system

[　　]

A．was put on experiment in 1977

B．had been put into actual use by 1977

C．had been repeatedly experimented before 1977

D．was first put into actual use in 1977

4．From the passage, you can tell that people prefer glass fibre cables to copper cables because ________.

[　　]

A．glass fibre is easier to make

B．glass fibre is less expensive

C．glass fibre is more up to date

D．glass fibre delivers messages directly

5．Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?

[　　]

A．Light signals have changed the use of glass in industry.

B．Glass fibres have reduced the cost of telephone communication.

C．Glass is very useful because it has many unusual qualities.

D．The use of glass fibres to carry telephone messages is an interesting new development.

Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?

  Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists（心理学家）are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.

    Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they're a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional center is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making.

  However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.

    All emotions affect our thinking and motivation（动机）, so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there’s one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.

45．According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?

A. To think about happy times.  

B. To make many decisions at a time.

C. To stop feeling regretful about the past.

D. To learn about the process of decision-making.

46．Damasio’s study suggests that _________.

A. emotions are the enemy of decision making

B. our brain has nothing to do with decision making

C. people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds

D. our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions

47．Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?

A. They often forget their past choices.    

B. They make decisions without much thinking.

C. They tend to save time when shopping.

D. They are too angry to bargain.

48．What do we learn from the text?

A. Emotions are a part of decision making.

B. Sad people always make worst choices.

C. No emotion seems to help us make good choices.

D. Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation.