A machine that takes sweat-laden (浸满汗水的) clothes and turns the sweat into drinking water is in use in Sweden. The machine makes the clothes turn round quickly, heats them to remove the sweat, and then passes the steam through a kind of special material to make purified water.
Since it has been brought into use, its creators say more than 1000 people have drunk others’ “sweat” in Gothenburg. They add the liquid is cleaner than local tap water.
The device was built for the United Nations’ child-focused charity UNICEF to promote a campaign highlighting the fact that 780 million people in the world lack access to clean water.
The machine was designed and built by the engineer Andreas Hammar, known locally for his appearances on TV tech show “Mekatronik”. He said the key part of the sweat machine was a new water purification part developed by a company named HVR.
“It uses a technique called membrane distillation (膜蒸馏),” he told the BBC. “We use a special kind of material that only lets steam through but keeps bacteria, salts, clothing fibers and other things out. They have something similar to the International Space Station, but our machine is cheaper to build. The amount of water it produces depends on how sweaty the person is, but one person’s T-shirt typically produces 10ml, about a mouthful.”
The device has been put on show at the Gothia Cup-the world’s largest international youth football tournament. Mattias Ronge, chief executive of Stockholm-based advertising agency Deportivo, said the machine had helped raise awareness for UNICEF, but in reality had its limitations.
“People haven’t produced as much sweat as we hoped – right now the weather in Gothenburg is lousy,” Mattias Ronge said. “So we’ve equipped the machine with exercise bikes and volunteers are cycling like crazy. Even so, the demand for sweat is greater than the supply. And the machine will never be produced in large numbers, since there are better solutions out there such as water purifying pills.”
1.Which of the following is the disadvantage of the sweat machine?
A. It takes too long for the machine to produce water.
B. The amount of water the machine produces is rather limited.
C. It costs a large amount of money to build the machine.
D. The water processed by the machine is not clean enough.
2.UNICEF is mentioned in the text to ________.
A. show how the sweat machine works
B. explain why the sweat machine was invented
C. show the importance of the United Nations
D. tell us who invented the sweat machine
3.What did Mattias Ronge think of the sweat machine?
A. It could only be used in summer.
B. It did not work at all.
C. It was not worth popularizing.
D. The water it produced tasted sweet.
4.The text is written mainly to tell us that ______________.
A. a machine which turns sweat into drinking water is invented
B. 780 million people in the world lack access to clean water
C. a better solution to purifying dirty water is discovered
D. the pill which turns dirty water into clean water is produced
My 17-year-old daughter went off to college and having her away from home brought back memories of watching Peter Pan when she was little. In the classic TV production, one scene in particular impressed me: when Mrs. Darling puts her children into bed. As she turns off the last of the night light, she takes one last look at the bedroom and says, “Dear night lights, protect my sleeping children.” As a mother, I know how much she loves her children.
It has been several weeks since we took our daughter to college and she seems to be adjusting well after a short period of homesickness. For us, though, it’s another story. Like most parents, I love checking in on my children at night. But now she’s gone, and I find night times the hardest. I miss her most at night.
In my neighborhood, most of the parents whose kids are off to college are dealing with similar melancholy. My husband is filled with anxiety. One friend talked about getting this sick feeling in her stomach as she prepared for the college drop-off. We complained that many of us were too busy to truly enjoy being with our children while we had them.
For us moms, seeing Toy Story 3 only made the sadness worse as we watched the character Andy, who is the same age as our kids, say goodbye to his childhood as he prepares to leave for college. And it’s not just “first-time” parents like me. Two moms who have kids already well into college said the separation didn’t get any easier. “You feel like something has been taken away from inside you” said one of them.
I imagine things will get easier with time, especially as I see my daughter adjust to college life. Meanwhile, as I keep my cell phone close to me in bed and text my daughter goodnight and sweet dreams every night, I like to think that messages serve as a night light that keeps her safe.
1.The writer was deeply impressed by the scene in Peter Pan because ________.
A. the scene showed a mother’s deep love for her children
B. the scene was very exciting and interesting
C. the scene taught her and her daughter a good lesson
D. she watched the scene with her daughter
2.After her daughter went to college, the writer ________.
A. realized she hadn’t done enough for her daughter
B. often cried as she missed her daughter so much
C. didn’t get used to the change for a long time
D. failed to have a good sleep every night
3.What is the underlined word “melancholy” in Paragraph 3 similar in meaning to?
A. Happiness. B. Anger.
C. Excitement. D. Sadness.
4.According to the last paragraph, why did the writer keep her cell phone close to her in bed?
A. To call her daughter any time.
B. To wait for her daughter’s calls.
C. To wait for her daughter’s messages.
D. To say good night to her daughter.
Homestay provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home.
What to Expect
The host will provide accommodation and meals. Rooms will be cleaned and bedcovers changed at least once a week. You will be given the house key and the host is there to offer help and advice as well as to take an interest in your physical and mental health.
Accommodation Zones
Homestays are located in London mainly in Zones 2, 3 and 4 of the transport system. Most hosts do not live in the town centre as much of central London is commercial and not residential(居住的). Zones 3 and 4 often offer larger accommodation in a less crowded area. It is very convenient to travel in London by Underground.
Meal Plans Available
◇ Continental Breakfast
◇ Breakfast and Dinner
◇ Breakfast, Packed Lunch and Dinner
It's important to note that few English families still provide a traditional cooked breakfast. Your accommodation includes Continental Breakfast which normally consists of fruit juice, cereal, bread and tea or coffee. Cheese, fruit and cold meat are not normally part of a Continental Breakfast in England. Dinners usually consist of meat or fish with vegetables followed by dessert, fruit and coffee.
Friends
If you wish to invite a friend over to visit, you must first ask your host's permission. You have no right to entertain friends in a family home as some families feel it is an invasion of their privacy.
Self-Catering (自助的)Accommodation in Private Homes
Accommodation on a room only basis includes shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and often a main living room. This kind of accommodation offers an independent lifestyle and is more suitable for the long stay student. However, it does not provide the same family atmosphere as an ordinary homestay and may not benefit those who need to practice English at home quite as much.
1.The passage is probably written for________.
A. hosts willing to receive foreign students
B. foreigners hoping to build British culture
C. travelers planning to visit families in London
D. English learners applying to live in English homes
2.Which of the following will the host provide?
A. Room cleaning. B. Medical care.
C. Free transport. D. Physical training.
3.What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
A. Zone 4 is more crowded than Zone 2.
B. Accommodation in the city center is not provided.
C. Hosts dislike travelling to the city center.
D. The business center of London is in Zone 1.
4.Why do some people choose self-catering accommodation?
A. To enrich their knowledge of English.
B. To enjoy much more freedom.
C. To entertain friends as they like.
D. To experience a warmer family atmosphere.
书面表达
假定你是重庆第一中学校学生会主席李华，你校将举办一次英语演讲比赛，希望重庆大学外籍教师Brown女士来做评委。请参照以下比赛通知给她写一封信。
注意： 1. 可适当增加细节，使结构完整 2. 词数120左右
词汇：学生会主席 president of Students’ Union
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（
），并在其下面写出该加的词
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear friends,
It is real a good chance to have met all of you here. We have spent several precious weekends in English study in the English Club. Although we have been member for a short period of time, we have made a great progress. That is why we are all very active and the activities are not only enjoyable and also helpful. Besides, the foreign teachers here work hard and try his best to make the activities lively and interested. I am very pleased to say that all of us improved our spoken English greatly so far. I am looking forward to see all of you again in the near future!
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。
Suppose you will go blind 3 days later? How would you spend those 3 precious days? What would you see before going into darkness forever?
I should want 1. (much) to see the things which have become dear to me through my years of darkness. I should want to see the people whose 2. (kind) and company have made my life worth 3. (live). First I should like to stare long4. the face of my teacher, Mrs. Anne Sullivan Macy, who came to me when I was a child and 5. (open) the outer world to me. I should want not merely to see the outline of her face, so that I could cherish 6. in my memory, but to study that face and from it find the evidence of the love and patience with 7. she accomplished the difficult task of my education. I should like to see in her eyes that strength of character which has enabled her to act 8. (brave) in the face of difficulties, and that sympathy for all humankind 9. (show) to me so often.
Oh, those things above would be the things that I should see if I 10. (have) the power of sight for just 3 days!
