Do you have a spare room in your house? What about a driveway for your car? Both of these can help you make money.Many people who are feeling the pinch are taking advantage of what’s been called the “sharing economy”. Perhaps the best-known example of a company in this field is Airbnb---an American web business which allows you to rent out your spare room to holidaymakers.It says it operates in 34,000 cities and it has over 1,500,000 listings.It seems to have concerned the market! A British company is doing something with parking spaces.JustPark’s founder, Anthony Eskinazi, says ,“When I had the original idea,Ispotted a driveway close to a sports stadium.It would have been so convenient if I could have just parked in that driveway rather than in commercial car park.” And he has a big clientele(客户):around 20,000 people have advertised their spaces on the site,and he says around half a million drivers use it.There are other sites doing very similar things,like Uber and Lyft---these let drivers share their cars with other passengers.Any driver knows how valuable a place to park is .A church near Kings Cross in central London has apparently made over £200,000 by renting out space in its yard to travelers! Because this is a new business world,those rules aren’t there yet and many people are happy to share...as long as it pays! But the sharing economy has its critics:the competitors of these new companies.People who run things like traditional B&B, commercial car parks and taxi services are afraid of ending up out of pocket.And there is another issue:regulations on these new business are unclear.How will renting out your driveway affect your neighbor? 1.What does the underlined phrase “feeling the pinch” probably mean? A. Lacking in money B. Full of curiosity C. Willing to help others D. Unsatisfied with their life 2.Who may be against the sharing economy? A. A taxi driver who can’t find a a parking place B. A priest in the church near Kings Cross C. A traveller who needs accomodiation D. A well-known high-end holiday hotel 3.Why are many people pleased to share according to paragraph 4? A. They can gain huge profits B. They needn’t pay any fee C. There are few rules to limit them D. The new business has no risks 4.Which of the following words can best describe the booming business? A. Creative and developed B. Competitive but unpractical C. Effective and worrying D. Traditional and acceptable
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Eighty-five-year old Chinese pharmacologist(药理学家) Tu Youyou became China’s first winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine when it was announced that she was one of three scientists awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in developing effective drugs against parastic diseases. Tu was honored for developing artemisin(青蒿素),a drug for malaria that has saved millions of lives across the globe,especially in the developing world,the Nobel Assembly at karolinska Institue disclosed on its website on Monday.Tu,a Chinese trained pharmacologist and a researcher at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing,went to Stockholm,Sweden in December to receive her award,according to Cao Hongxin,the science and techology department head of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. "She was calm and said she has received lots of congratulatory calls." Cao told China Daily on Monday after he telephoned Tu to congratulate her."It’s an overdue(迟来的)honor for Tu and the world’s recognition of traditional Chinese medicine," he said. "Tu’s breakthrough in winning the Nobel Prize in a natural science is the pride of the whole nation and the whole Chinese scientific community," said Zhou Dejin,spokesman of the Chinese Academy of Science,China’s national research body that consists of more than one hundred research insistutes,universities and research branches, "The achievement of discovering artemisinin was made in the 1970s,but it only received international recognition in later years ,which suggests that we might have more achievements that have reached the Nobel Prize level but have not been recognized." Zhou said. 1.Why was Tu Youyou awarded the Nobel Prize? A. She made a breakthrough in the Chinese scientific community B. She came up with a revolutionary theory about medicine C. She devoted her whole life to medicine research D. She developed a very effective drug in the 1970s 2.What do we know about Tu Youyou ? A. She secretly accepted the Nobel Prize by herself B. She 's the second Chinese to win the 2015 Nobel Prize C. She has an ordinary heart though winning the Nobel Prize D. She won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with three scientists 3.What can we infer from the last paragraph? A. China lacks talented scientists like Tu Youyou B. Tu’s achievement was recognized by the world a long time ago C. Chinese scientists should work harder to win more Nobel Prizes D. More Chinese scientific achievements should be acknowledged 4.What type of writing does this passage belong to? A. A scientific report B. An official document C. A news report D. A medical record
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Weighing too much can damage your health,and obesity is a growing problem for both kids and adults around the world.Sleep might be one answer to the problem.A new study has found that elementary school students who slept too little were more likely to gain pounds. Past studies have shown a link between sleeping less and weighing more,but scientists have had a tough time determining "which came first,the chicken or the egg," says Julie C. Lumeng of the university of Michigan in Ann Arbor.In other words,it hasn't been clear whether kids who weigh too much have trouble sleeping,or whether sleeping less leads to weight gain.Both scenarios (可能出现的情况) seemed equally possible. To get a better idea of which causes which,Lumeng and her colleagues interviewed the parents of 785 third graders from around the United States.The parents answered questions about how well their kids slept that year.Three years later,the parents answered the same questions.By sixth grade ,18percent of kids involved in the study were obese. The scientists found no relationship between weight and the students' race or gender.It also didn't matter how strict their parents were,or whether they were boys orgirls.Obesity struck all of these groups equally.Instead,sleep seemed to be the key factor.Over the three years of study,the children averaged a healthy 9.5 hours of sleepa night.Some kids,however,slept a lot moreor less than others. For the sixth graders,every hour of sleep above the 9.5houraverage was linked toa 20 percent lower risk of being obese.Sleep appeared doubly important for the third graders.Every extra hour of sleep they got was linked to a 40 percent drop in obesity. 1.What does the underlined sentence on paragraph 2 imply? A. Scientists have found the exact causes of children's obesity. B. There is always something difficult to understand through theory C. The cause–effect relationship between weight and sleep isn't clear. D. A person's weight has something to do with the amount of his sleep. 2.What did the interview find out? A. 9.5 hours of sleep a night is enough for children. B. The more a child sleeps,the healthier he will be. C. Sixth graders need much more sleep than third graders. D. One’s race or gender has nothing to do with his weight. 3.How does the author develop the passage? A. By listing figures B. By comparing different opinions C. By providing examples D. By conducting a survey 4.What is the suitable title for the passage? A. The benefits of enough sleep for children B. Sleeping less increases the risk of obesity C. Which comes first,little sleep or obesity D. How many hours of sleep do children need?
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Everest 121min Adventure/Biography/Drama Storyline: A group of climbers start their final climb to the summit of Mount Everest,the highest point on Earth. With little warning,a violent storm strikes the mountain,swallowing the adventurers... Director: Baltasar Kormakur Stars:Jason Clarke, Ang Phula Sherpa, Thomas M.Wright Add to watchlist War Room 120min Drama Storyline: Tony and Elizabeth Jordan, seemingly have it all--great jobs, a beautiful daughter, their dream home. In reality, their marriage has been a war zone. With guidance from Miss Clara, an older, wiser woman, Elizabeth discovers she can start fighting for her family instead of against them. Director: Alex Kendrick Stars: Priscilla C. Shirer, T.C. Stalligs, Karen Abercrombie Add to watchlist Straight Outta Compton 147min Biography/Drama/Music Storyline: In 1987,five young men, using honest rhymes, put their frustration and anger about life into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Straight Outta Compton tells the true story of how these cultural rebels(叛逆者)stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down and formed the world’s most dangerous group N.W.A. Director: F. Gary Gray Stars: O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell Add to watchlist A Walk In The Woods 104min Adventure/Biography/Comedy Storyline: After spending two decades in England, Bill Bryson returns to the US, where he decides the best way to connect with his homeland is to hike the Appalachian Trail. He travels with Katz, one of his oldest friends. The trouble is that the two have a completely different definition of the word, “adventure”. The real fun begins... Director: Ken Kwapis Stars: Robort Redford, Nick Nolte, Emma Thompson Add to watchlist 1.If you prefer family-themed movies, which one should see? A. Everest B. War Room C. Straight Outta Compton D. A Walk In The Woods 2.What is N.W.A according to the passage? A. A movie club B. A music group C. An adventure team D. A charity organization 3.Why does Bill Bryson hike the Appalachain Trail? A. To accompany his friend Katz B. To exercise and keep himself fit C. To strengthen his bond with the US D. To have an adventure in the woods
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假设你是李华,你的美国笔友Tom给你写信,说他暑假要来北京,参加一个关于老北京胡同的中国文化研究课程,请你先介绍一下胡同的基本情况。 内容要点如下: 1. 胡同的历史由来; 2. 胡同的社会价值和意义; 注意:1. 词数不少于100; 2. 可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯; 3. 注意语言的交际性和逻辑的条理性; 4. 邮件的开头和结尾已为你写好,不计入总词数。 提示词:胡同alley 四合院courtyard Dear Tom, I’m glad to receive your e-mail. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Have a good time! Sincerely, Li Hua
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根据句意,选择适当的词并用其恰当的形式填空。每空只填一个词。 1.This is a new invention that will have a wide range of ___________ in industry. 2.Sam has been ___________ manager of the engineering department to take the place of George. 3.This magazine makes complex ideas attractive and ___________ to children. 4.The man of true ___________ is not frightened by death. 5.Some people prefer to go out for traveling since it can increase their knowledge and ___________ their horizons. 6.It is not socially ___________ for parents to leave children unattended at that age. 7.Wherever you go, you should take care of your personal ___________. 8.Harry Potter stories are so ___________ that they encourage children to read more. 9.There was a ___________ expression on her face. 10.The trees ___________ down in the storm have been moved off the road.
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People Are People Globalization has brought different cultures together in a way unimaginable one hundred years ago. Today, Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Africans, Anglos, and Hispanics may all work in the same offices, attend the same schools or live in the same neighborhoods. 1. And our society has lately emphasized the importance of diversity. 2. Take the following old proverbs for example. Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. —Thomas Jefferson, American President One falsehood spoils a thousand truths. —African proverb Be honest to those who are honest, and be also honest to those who are not honest. —Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher A sacrifice is written off by a lie and the merit of devotion by an act of cheat. —Hindu saying 3. There seems to be a sort of cultural unity. We don’t wish to imply all cultures are the same. Cultural diversity is real, and people from different cultures view many situations in different ways. However, historically, different cultures seem to share many common values. They are justice, courage, patience, generosity, equality, mercy and kindness, respect for the elders, and many more. Lying and stealing appear to be wrong no matter where you go. Perhaps some cultures make room for extenuating (情有可原) circumstances more than others; perhaps cultures apply these virtues in different ways; and when values disagree, different cultures may place different levels of importance on them. 4. But both cultures may still value both. To us, it seems as if there is some sort of code of right and wrong that everyone everywhere seems to understand, regardless of culture. It is almost as if, behind all of the diversity, one finds a common understanding—a human culture, if you will—that goes beyond racial, social, and political boundaries. 5. A. All people seem to agree that we should tell the truth. B. Each value supports many more quotes from different cultures. C. As cultures rub shoulders with each other, many differences stand out. D. We want to show, however, that there is more to these cultures than diversity. E. These quotes from four separate cultures all support the same value—honesty. F. It is almost as if, despite all our differences, we are all still the same—we are just people. G. In other words, one culture may lean more toward justice and another culture more toward mercy.
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British anthropologists Russell Hill and Robert Barton of the University of Durham, after studying the results of one-on-one boxing, taekwondo, Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wrestling matches at the Olympic Games, conclude that when two competitors are equally matched in fitness and skill, the athlete wearing red is more likely to win. Hill and Barton report that when one competitor is much better than the other, colour has no effect on the result. However, when there is only a small difference between them, the effect of colour is enough to tip the balance. The anthropologists say that the number of times red wins is not simply by chance, but that these results are statistically significant. Joanna Setchell, a primate (灵长目动物) researcher at the University of Cambridge, has found similar results in nature. She studies the large African monkeys known as mandrills. Mandrills have bright red noses that stand out against their white faces. Setchell’s work shows that the powerful males—the ones who are more successful with females—have a brighter red nose than other males. As well as the studies on primates by Setchell, another study shows the effect of red among birds. In an experiment, scientists put red plastic tings on the legs of male zebra finches and this increased the birds’ success with female zebra finches. Zebra finches already have bright red beaks (鸟喙), so this study suggests that, as with Olympic athletes, an extra flash of red is significant. In fact, researchers from the University of Glasgow say that the birds’ brightly coloured beaks are an indicator of health. Jonathan Blount, a biologist, and his colleagues think they have found proof that bright red or orange beaks attract females because they mean that the males are healthier. Nothing in nature is simple, however, because in species such as the blue footed booby, a completely different colour seems to give the male birds the same advantage with females. Meanwhile, what about those athletes who win in their events while wearing red? Do their clothes give them an unintentional advantage? Robert Barton accepts that “that is the implication” of their findings. Is it time for sports authorities to consider new regulations on sports clothing? 1.According to their research, Hill and Barton conclude that ___________. A. the colour of clothing has an effect on most sport events B. red should be the choice of colour for clothing in sports C. red plays a role when competitors are equally capable D. athletes perform better when surrounded by bright red 2.The underlined word "tip" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ___________. A. achieve B. seek C. keep D. change 3.The example of the blue footed booby proves that ___________. A. male birds use different body parts to draw attention B. red is not the only colour to attract female birds C. blue gives female birds the same advantage D. blue can indicate how healthy a bird is
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PhoneSoap: Charge and Clean Your Phone You may charge your phone every day, but do you clean your phone as much? Whatever your hands touch, your phones touch. It has been discovered that some phones have 18 times more bacteria and viruses than any surface in a public restroom. So it probably won’t surprise you that a 2011 University of London study found that one in six of our phones have bacteria and viruses on them—specifically, the bacteria called E. coli. The research on bacteria and viruses led to the invention of PhoneSoap. It is not actually liquid like dishwasher soap. It is a phone charger that uses the electromagnetic radiation used in hospitals to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses, cleaning your phone while it charges. “There are really certain types of bacteria and viruses that we should not be in touch with, and they are really on our phones,” says Wes Barnes, the PhoneSoap co-founder. It all started while his cousin and co-founder, Dan LaPorte, was in his cancer research lab at college. “He realized he got the idea of getting rid of bacteria and viruses on the phones,” said Barnes. “In the lab they used UV-C light for destroying them. He realized this would be the fastest, most powerful way to kill any bacteria and viruses living on electronic machines.” PhoneSoap looks like a little metal suitcase. Your phone rests in to charge and get cleaned at the same time. Instead of plugging your phone into the wall, you’d plug it into the PhoneSoap charger box. The process only takes a few minutes but, Barnes says, “The idea is that you can leave it in there overnight if you want to keep charging. Reflective paint keeps the light completely around the phone so it cleans the phone fully.” The co-founders spent 2013 finding the right companies and they started shipping the product in late November. By last week’s International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, PhoneSoap was all grown-up. Both co-founders have left their previous jobs and are selling PhoneSoap nonstop. “We’re shipping almost more than we can handle each day,” Barnes says. “It’s been a great adventure.” 1.We can learn from the first paragraph that ___________. A. phones can be very dirty B. phones are where bacteria are born C. most phones are attacked by bacteria D. phones store more bacteria in a restroom 2.According to the passage, PhoneSoap ___________. A. takes a whole night to kill bacteria B. deals with bacteria with radiation C. is a kind of liquid like dishwasher soap D. has to be plugged into the wall to work 3.From what Barnes said in the last paragraph, we can infer that ___________. A. PhoneSoap is in great demand now B. PhoneSoap is really hard to handle C. they can’t produce enough PhoneSoap D. they’ll make improvements to PhoneSoap 4.What’s the passage mainly about? A. Methods of cleaning phones. B. Tips on charging phones quickly. C. Soap killing harmful bacteria on phones. D. A phone charger keeping your phone clean.
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New Jersey Botanical Garden Membership It’s easy to join New Jersey Botanical Garden (NJBG) Membership or renew your membership online, by phone or by mail. And it’s so important to the Botanical Garden! Your membership dollars help to improve the Garden, and provide educational and recreational (娱乐的) activities for the general public. Thank you for your support! To join or renew, please click on the appropriate section and membership category below for safe and convenient online payment processing by PayPal. If you prefer to join by phone or mail, call the NJBG office at (973) 962-9534 or download and send in our membership brochure (Adobe Acrobat PDF file). ★Join NJBG Today
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The Botanical Garden started life as Skylands, a large area in the grand manner. It is famous for a 44-room Tudor Revival granite mansion (公馆) designed by John Russell Pope. Skylands has 96 acres of formal and naturalized gardens and is surrounded by over 1,000 acres of meadows (草坪) and woodlands. Purchased by the State in 1966 and officially named as the New Jersey Botanical Garden in 1984, the gardens contain approximately 5,000 species and varieties of trees and flowers. For you, the NJBG is an exciting and beautiful place to visit where you may enjoy each season’s best. Members enjoy special events, festivals, lectures, and rewarding educational opportunities for both city and country gardeners. Your NJBG membership offers you discounts at participating nurseries, garden centers and other fine businesses. Simply present your NJBG membership card when beginning your purchase: · Goffle Brook Farm and Garden Center, (201) 652-7540 10% off your purchase · Metropolitan Plant Exchange, (973) 638-7613 12% off your purchase · Rohsler’s Allendale Nursery & Florist, (201) 327-3156 15% off your purchase 1.The NJBG membership dollars can be used to ___________. A. offer further education B. update online payment C. provide better service D. protect the environment 2.To join NJBG membership, you can call its office at ___________. A. (201) 327-3156 B. (201) 652-7540 C. (973) 962-9534 D. (973) 638-7613 3.To renew the one-year membership for your parents, you need to pay ___________. A. $50 B. $60 C. $80 D. $100 4.New Jersey Botanical Garden ___________. A. was officially named in 1966 B. was designed by John Russell Pope C. invites members to organize activities D. gives members discounts for their purchase
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