Back in old times, people had little knowledge about the universe and nature. Things we now consider to be common sense were mysteries to our ancestors.
Over the years, major breakthroughs have been made in science and many phenomena have been explained. But still, there are always questions we can't yet answer, and The Guardian has listed some of them.
1. What makes us human?
Just looking at your DNA won't tell you - human DNA is 99 percent identical to that of the chimpanzee and, believe it or not, 50 percent identical to a banana's! A lot of the things we once thought were unique about us - language and tool use, recognizing ourselves in the mirror and so on – have since been seen in other animals. Perhaps it's our culture that makes the difference or maybe our ability to use fire. It's also possible that our capacity (能力) for co-operation and our trading skills are what make us unique.
2. Why do we dream?
Given the fact that we spend around a third of our lives sleeping, shouldn't we know everything about it? Unfortunately, scientists are still searching for a complete explanation of what happens when we sleep and why we dream.
Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud believed dreams were the expressions of wishes that we can't fulfill in our real lives. Others have wondered whether dreams are just random "noise" coming from a sleeping brain.
3. Could we someday live forever?
Apart from accidents, most people die because of diseases that can be treated and aging. And since many diseases, such as diabetes(糖尿病) and cancer, are diseases of aging, treating aging itself could be the key to extending our lives.
Our knowledge of what causes us to age - and what allows some animals to live longer than others - is expanding rapidly. And though we haven't quite worked out all the details, we've worked out some pieces of the puzzles such as DNA damage and metabolism (新陈代谢), which are all leading to the invention of drugs that can slow down the aging process.
If we're lucky enough to lengthen our lives, we might even get to see the day when all of these questions are answered.
1.The main point of the passage is ______.
A. to inform people of the knowledge about the universe and nature
B. to introduce major breakthroughs that have been made in science
C. to present some questions we can't yet answer
D. to explain what were once mysteries to our ancestors
2.Chimpanzees and bananas are mentioned as examples to prove that ______.
A. human beings are actually not different from other animals
B. animals have completely different DNA from that of plants
C. both animals and plants share the same amount of DNA
D. DNA alone is not good enough to make humans different
3.The underlined word "identical" is closest in meaning to ______.
A. mysterious B. unique C. advanced D. same
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. What were mysteries to our ancestors are considered to be common sense now.
B. Now we know much more about dreams than our ancestors did in the past.
C. With the invention of new drugs people can possibly live even longer.
D. If all the diseases can be treated people can theoretically live forever.
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw Kyle from my class walking home from school. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd (a foolish person)." I had quite a weekend planned, so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running towards him. They knocked all his books out of his arms and tripped(绊倒) him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the glass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should go to hell." He looked at me and said, "Hey, thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real thankfulness. I asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. I am here to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard the gasp(倒吸气) go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth.
1.Why did Kyle carry all his books home?
A. Because it was Friday.
B. Because he was a nerd.
C. Because he wanted to kill himself.
D. Because he liked doing things for his mother.
2.Which of the statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The bunch of kids attacked Kyle to have his glasses and books.
B. The author planned to study all weekend after he met Kyle.
C. The author was a freshman when Kyle gave the speech.
D. Kyle felt grateful to the author for his help.
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A. When Kyle couldn't find the glass, he turned to the author for help.
B. The author teased Kyle a lot about being a nerd.
C. The author didn't expect Kyle to tell the story.
D. Kyle thanked his parents first for saving his life.
4.What does the underlined "them" in the 2nd paragraph refer to?
A. The kids. B. Kyle's books. C. Kyle's glasses. D. Kyle's arms.
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Admission beginning July l, 2013
Adults: $10.00; youth under 18, students, seniors: $5:00; children under age 5: free
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Closed, 2013:
January l: New Year's Day
May 27: Memorial Day
July 4: Independence Day
September 2: Labor Day
November 28: Thanksgiving Day
December 24 & 25: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
December 31: Early Closing for New Year's Day
1.The information you read above is probably about ______.
A. a museum B. a cinema C. a park D. a cafe
2.How much do they have to pay in total if a family, including grandparents, parents and a child of 8, go together on the last Sunday of November 2013?
A. $0. B. $25. C. $30. D. $35.
3.You won't be refused at the door if you go there at ______.
A. Thanksgiving Day B. Christmas Day
C. 6 p.m. on a Thursday of July D. 6 p.m. on a Tuesday of August
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Children under the age of 7 do not have to pay.
B. It is possible for the disabled to go there on wheelchairs.
C. Visitors have to pay some extra money for the evening programs.
D. There are definitely no more discounts besides those listed here.
A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage. They were a loving couple and the boy was treated as the apple of their eyes.
One morning, when the boy was around two years old, the husband saw a bottle open. He was for work, so he the wife to cap the bottle and put it in the cupboard. The mother, in the kitchen, totally the matter.
The boy saw the bottle and went to it and, fascinated with its color, drank it all. It to be a poisonous medicine meant adults in small dosages. When the child fell down, the mother hurried him to the hospital, where he died. The mother was shocked; she was . How would she her husband?
When the father came to the hospital and saw the dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just four words. What do you think those four words were? The husband just said, "I You Darling", which is totally .
Yet, the father did the very right thing. The child is dead. He can never be brought back to life. There is no in finding fault with the mother. , if only he had taken time to put the bottle away, this would not have happened. No point in attaching . She had also lost her only child. What she at that moment was comfort and sympathy from the husband. That is what he her.
Sometimes we spend time asking who is responsible or who's to blame, whether in a relationship, in a job or with the people we know and miss out on the in human relationships we could receive by giving each other support.
1.A. medicine B. milk C. juice D. beer
2.A. early B. soon C. late D. punctual
3.A. asked B. demanded C. begged D. forced
4.A. concerned B. enjoyed C. fixed D. occupied
5.A. remembered B. reminded C. forgot D. recalled
6.A. carefully B. playfully C. personally D. physically
7.A. occurred B. happened C. used D. seemed
8.A. to B. for C. by D. with
9.A. finally B. nearly C. possibly D. immediately
10.A. terrified B. encouraged C. embarrassed D. touched
11.A. face B. scold C. call D. inform
12.A. kind-hearted B. broad-minded C. heart-broken D.good-natured
13.A. Miss B. Hate C. Support D. Love
14.A. acceptable B. respectable C. unexpected D. understandable
15.A. point B. wonder C. use D. need
16.A. Instead B. However C. Therefore D. Besides
17.A. praise B. sadness C. blame D. insult
18.A. thought B. needed C. required D. learnt
19.A. gave B. owed C. treated D. left
20.A. peace B. warmth C. coldness D. balance
Diligence is ______ it takes for the post-90's generation to win competitions.
A. what B. where C. which D. when
With a lot of work ______, she weren't allowed to leave her office.
A. do B. done . C. to be done D. to do