Imagine a mass of floating waste is two times the size of the state of Texas. Texas has a land area of more than 678 000 square kilometers. So it might be difficult to imagine anything twice as big. All together, this mass of waste flowing in the North Pacific Ocean is known as the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. It weighs about 3 500 000 tons. The waste includes bags，bottles and containers—plastic products of all kinds.www.zxxk.com
The eastern part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch is about l 600 kilometers west of California. The western part is west of the Hawaiian Islands and east of Japan. The area has been described as a kind of oceanic desert，with light winds and slow moving water currents. The water moves so slowly that garbage from all over the world collects there.
In recent years，there have been growing concerns about the floating garbage and its effect on sea creatures and human health. Scientists say thousands of animals get trapped in the floating waste，resulting in death or injury. Even more die from a lack of food or water after swallowing pieces of plastic. The trash can also make animals feel full，lessening their desire to eat or drink.
The floating garbage also can have harmful effects on people. There is an increased threat of infection of disease from polluted waste，and from eating fish that swallowed waste. Divers can also get trapped in the plastic.www.zxxk.com
Its existence first gained public attention in l997. That was when racing boat captain and oceanographer Charles Moore and his crew sailed into the garbage while returning from a racing event. Five years earlier，another oceanographer learned of the trash after a shipment of rubber duckies got lost at sea. Many of those toys are now part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch.
In August，2009，a team from the University of California，San Diego became the latest group to travel to it. They were shocked by the amount of waste they saw. They gathered hundreds of sea creatures and water samples to measure the garbage patch’s effect on ocean environment.
1.How did the writer introduce the topic of the passage?
A. By giving an example. B. By listing the facts.
C. By telling a story. D. By giving a comparison.
2.What do we know about the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?
A. It is made up of various kinds of plastic products.
B. It is a solid mass of floating waste materials.
C. It lies l60 000 kilometers east of California.
D. It is described as a kind of oceanic land.
3.Why do people pay attention to the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?
A. Because it may prevent the flow of ocean water.
B. Because the polluted plastic products will affect the food chain.
C. Because it maybe form an island in the pacific.
D. Because ships may be trapped in the floating waste.
For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs. Coupled with the aging of the baby-boom (生育高峰) generation, a longer life span(寿命) means that the nation’s elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change brings many problems for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. “In addition to the doctors, we’re going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,” says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California’s (USC) School of Gerontology (老年学).www.zxxk.com
Lawyers can specialize in “elder law” which covers everything from trusts(信托) and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination. Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees(退休者) in human history. “Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,” one professor says.
Margarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was “really bored with bacteria.” So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she liked it. She says, “I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.”
1..“…Old is suddenly in” (Line 1, Para. 1) most probably means “_____”.
A. America has suddenly become a nation of old people
B. more elderly professors are found on American campuses
C. gerontology has suddenly become popular
D. American colleges have realized the need of getting older students
2.Why can businessmen make money in the emerging elder market?
A. The elderly possess an enormous purchasing power
B. They can employ more gerontologists
C. Retirees are more generous in spending money
D. There are more elderly people working than before
3.Who can make big money in the new century according to the passage?
A. Retirees who are business-minded
B. The volunteer workers in retirement homes
C. Professionals with a good knowledge of gerontology
D. College graduates with an MBA or law degree
4..It can be seen from the passage that the expansion of America’s elderly population ______.
A. will provide good job opportunities in many areas
B. will cause a heavy burden on society
C. may lead to nursing home abuse and age discrimination
D. will create new fields of study in universities
Harry Houdini was one of the greatest American entertainers in the theater this century. He was a man famous for his escapes from prison cells, from wooden boxes floating in rivers, from locked tanks full of water. He appeared in theaters all over Europe and America. Crowds came to see the great Houdini and his “magic” tricks.
Of course, his secret was not magic or supernatural power. It was simply strength. He had the ability to move his toes as well as he moved his fingers. He could move his body into almost any position he wanted.
Houdini started working in the entertainment world when he was 17, in 1891. He and his brother Theo performed card tricks in clubs in New York. They called themselves the Houdini Brothers. When Harry married in 1894, he and his wife Bess worked together as magician and assistant. But for a long time they were not very successful. Then Harry performed his first prison escape in Chicago in 1898. Harry persuaded a detective to let him try to escape from the prison, and he invited the local newspapermen to watch.
It was the publicity (宣传) that came from this that started Harry Houdini’s success. Harry had fingers trained to escape from handcuffs and toes trained to escape from ankle chains. But his biggest secret was how he unlocked the prison doors. Every time he went into the prison cell, Bess gave him a kiss for good luck and a small skeleton key, which is a key that fits many locks. She passed it quickly from her mouth to his.
Harry used these prison escapes to build his fame. He arranged to escape from the local prison of every town he visited. In the afternoon, the people of the town would read about it in their local newspapers, and in the evening every seat in the local theater would be full. What was the result? Worldwide fame and a name remembered today.
1.According to the passage, Houdini’s success in prison escapes depends on ______.
A. his special tricks and supernatural powers
B. his unusual ability and skeleton key
C. his magic tricks and supernatural powers
D. his wisdom and magic tricks
2. It can be inferred from the passage that Houdini became famous ______ .
A. in 1894 B. before he married
C. at the age of 17 D. when he was 24
3.According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Houdini was a famous American magician.
B. Houdini was first recognized in Chicago.
C. Houdini first entered the entertainment world together with his wife.
D. Houdini was popular with people from Europe and America.
4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. A Skeleton Key B. A Secret Prisoner
C. Worldwide Fame D. Great Escapes
It was my first year teaching in a special class, and I wasn’t sure what to expect at our yearly Special Olympics sports meeting. My had some challenges, from learning disabilities to cerebral palsy (脑瘫).
Mark was one with the latter. Restricted to a , he had to fight his spasms (抽搐) just to control his movements. , he always had a positive attitude and greeted everyone with a huge smile. His classmates him and always took the time to make sure he was included in group activities, especially Mike, Andy and Lucas, three boys who were good at . Obviously, Mark wanted to be like them, unrestricted by the limitation of his , and watching them moving on the playing field seemed to fill him with .
When the day came, Mike, Andy and Lucas placed well in their sports events, and gave the calm audience something to cheer about. Mark sat in his wheelchair on the sidelines, them on. The final event of the day was the 400-meter race. was invited to either walk or run, according to their ability, around the length of the track.
When Mike, Andy and Lucas reached the finish line, they and turned to look behind them. At the of the crowd on the track, determined not to be left behind, was Mark. All his classmates had him. He was alone on the track with over half the distance left to . Mike, Andy and Lucas looked at each other, and a silent passed between them. Slowly, they jogged towards their friend, cheering him on he had done for them moments before.
The progress was , but in the end the three star runners and Mark the finish line together to the enthusiastic cries of their teachers and classmates. Seeing the look on Mark’s face and hands upraised, I came to understand what the Special Olympics.
Years later, I’m still cheering them on.
1.A. students B. friends C. partners D. classmates
2.A. bed B. machine C. desk D. wheelchair
3.A. Thus B. However C. Otherwise D. Besides
4.A. protected B. satisfied C. loved D. cared
5.A. expression B. practice C. studies D. sports
6.A. interests B. habits C. body D. mind
7.A. trust B. admiration C. fear D. worry
8.A. bringing B. cheering C. holding D. moving
9.A. Someone B. Everyone C. Anybody D. Nobody
10.A. average B. different C. entire D. extra
11.A. fell B. rested C . hurried D. paused
12.A. end B. front C. center D. top
13.A. left B. ignored C. passed D. helped
14.A. run B. jog C. cover D. walk
15.A. demand B. relief C. action D. thought
16.A. back B. along C. again D. on
17.A. while B. although C. since D. as
18.A. slow B. great C. boring D. relaxing
19.A. crossed B. arrived C. rushed D. got
20.A. left B. made C. kept D. found
The moment the 28th Olympic Games _____ open, the whole world cheered.
A. declared B. have been declared
C. have declared D. were declared
----- Sally is strongly against taking the trip to Hainan.
----- _______? It was she who suggested the plan.
A. How come B. What about C. Real D. Why not
