A Heroic Driver
Larry works with Transport Drivers. Inc. One morning in 2009, Larry 1.travel) along 165 north after delivering to one of his customers when he saw a car 2.its bright lights on. As he got even 3.close), he found another vehicle upside down on the road. One more look 4. he noticed fire shooting out 5.(repeat) from under the disabled vehicle. Larry pulled over, set the brake and got hold of the fire extinguisher (灭火器). Two good bursts from th
e extinguisher and the fire 6.(put) out.
The man who had his bright lights on came over and told Larry he had made a call. They then heard a woman’s voice coming from the damaged vehicle. 7.(approach) the vehicle, they saw that a woman was trying to get out of the broken window. They told her to stay still, but she thought the car was going to explode. Larry told her that he had already put out the fire.
Once fire and 8.(emergent) people arrived, Larry and the other man backed off and let them go to work. Then, Larry asked the police 9.he was needed or free to go. They let him and the other man go.
One thing is for certain—It 10.be) his efforts that most likely saved the woman’s life.
Choosing a college major is one of the most important choices you can make about your education and future career.1. What you study in school often determines what career opportunities you will have when you graduate.
There are a number of steps you can take before making a final decision.2. If you enjoy marine life, for instance, you should consider a marine biology major. If you love star-gazing, consider becoming an astronomer.
Next, consider the academic subjects in which you excel(优秀). If you’re not strong in math you might be better off not choosing engineering. If you are good at English you might choose to become an author or a journalist.3..
Once you’ve established a list of potential career fields, research them further to determine which college majors are most proper. Then you can get an idea for what courses you’ll need to take. 4..
Choosing a college major you will enjoy is important. You might find college life to be less stressful if you enjoy your classes.5.. Perhaps most importantly, choosing the correct major may improve your overall happiness and quality of life.
A. Your teacher is there to help with just this sort of dilemma.
B. If you struggle with these steps, consider looking for outside help.
C. It may even be more important than where you attend college.
D. Your future career choices may rely heavily on what you study in college.
E. You might also avoid the unpleasantness that comes with changing your major.
F. Compare the list of your interests with the list of your talents and see which fields overlap (交叉).
G. Begin by making a list of your personal interests and careers which correspond with them.
Australian cities can keep their native wildlife — but only if they can kick their habit of urban sprawl (扩展). That’s the finding of a new study by leading Australian environmental researchers Jessica Sushinsky, Professor Hugh Possingham and Dr. Richard Fuller of The University of Queensland.
“While urban development usually reduces the number of birds in a city, building more compact (紧凑的) cities and avoiding urban sprawl can slow these reductions greatly,” says lead author Jessica Sushinsky. “Compact housing development leaves birds’ homes untouched, leading to fewer losses of birds.”
The researchers surveyed native and wild birds in Brisbane’s urban areas, including living and industrial areas, public parks and gardens, major roadways and airports. They then used statistical modeling to find out what will happen to the birds as the city grows. The first setting was compact growth — where multiple homes are built on land that previously had only one house. The second setting was sprawling growth — a familiar pattern where homes are built here and there beyond the city’s current boundaries.
The team’s forecasts showed that a much greater diversity of species was lost over 20 years in the sprawling setting compared to the more compact setting. “Urban sprawl resulted in the disappearance of many urban-sensitive birds — birds that only live in areas where there is native vegetation (植被), such as parklands and woodlands,” Ms. Sushinsky says.
“On the other hand, we found the city with the compact development attracted more birds because it kept more of its parks and green areas.”
Now the Queensland Government has adopted the more compact urban growth strategy, which, Dr. Richard Fuller says, is good news for Australia’s native birds. These birds are environmental specialists — they need a particular environment to do well. “While compact development means smaller backyards, it can also make our entire cities more biodiverse,” according to Dr. Fuller. “The study shows that we should hold on to our green spaces instead of clearing them for sprawling development.”
This is the first time science has modeled the effects of different urban growth strategies on birds, the researchers say. “Statistical models like these are important because they help us to understand the ecological consequences of a particular decision,” says Dr Fuller.
1.Why is compact urban growth better than the sprawling strategy?
A. It makes the cities more beautiful. B. It gives people larger backyards.
C. It is money-saving. D. It is bird-friendly.
2.Dr Richard Fuller thinks the Queensland Government’s action ______.
A. is really brave B. is worth praising
C. has an uncertain future D. should be performed nationwide
3.What can we learn about the study from the passage?
A. It is based on the statistics in the past.
B. It is strongly against urban development.
C. It criticizes the city environment in Brisbane.
D. It suggests leaving more green spaces for birds.
4.Where does the passage probably come from?
A. A news report. B. A travel guide.
C. A health magazine. D. A history book.
Most painters discover a style of painting that is fit for them and stick to that, especially if people admire their pictures. But Picasso, the great Spanish painter, was like a man who had not yet found his own particular style of painting. He kept on struggling to find the perfect expression till his death in 1973.
Some of Picasso's paintings are rich, soft colored and beautiful. Others are ugly and cruel and strange. But such paintings allow us to imagine things for ourselves. They force us to say to ourselves, “What does he see that makes him paint like that?” And we begin to look under the surface of the things we see.
Picasso painted thousands of pictures in different styles. Sometimes he painted the natural look of things. Sometimes he seemed to break them apart and throw the pieces in our faces. He showed us what the mind knows as well as what the eyes see. At the age of 90,he remained as curious about the world as he had been when he was young. That is why people have called him “the youngest painter in the world.”
1.The ugly cruel and strange paintings by Picasso _______.
A. make us try to notice something hidden in the things
B. allow us to ask questions about them
C. force us to question anything we see
D. cause us to think what Picasso saw was different from what we see
2.The underlined sentence “Sometimes he seemed to break them apart and throw the pieces in our faces” means _____.
A. sometimes he tore his pictures into pieces
B. he broke something he was painting and threw them away
C. sometimes he showed some broken pictures to others
D. things in some of his pictures seem to be in disorder
3.Why have people called Picasso “the youngest painter in the world?”
A. Because he observed things with the eye and the mind.
B. Because he looked young when he was old.
C. Because he never stopped painting he was old.
D. Because he never gave up looking for something new.
A Samoan airline says that it is the world’s first carrier to charge passengers by their weight. Samoa Air, which opened in 2012, asks passengers to give their personal weight during booking, which is then charged according to the length of a flight. The customers will also be weighed just before they board the plane.
"It is believed that all people throughout the world are the same size," Samoa Air CEO Chris Langton said. "Airplanes always run on weight, not seats."
"There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future. This is the fairest way of your travelling with your family or yourself."
Though the airline introduced the plan last November, it caught people's attention last week when the carrier began international flights to neighboring American Samoa.
Almost at the same time, a Norwegian economist, Bharat Bhatta, published a report suggesting that airlines should charge obese passengers more.
The Pacific Islands contain some of the world’s most common countries for obesity, many ranking in the top 10, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Samoa is ranked number four, with 59.6 percent of the population considered obese, said the most recent WHO report.
According to Samoa Air's latest schedule, the airline charges up to $0.57 per kg for flights in Samoa and $1.03 per kg for its only international flight to American Samoa, around 250 miles.
Children under 12 are charged 75 percent of the adult rate, with fares also based on weight. Any overweight baggage is calculated at the same rate as the passenger's personal weight.
The plan could actually prove cheaper in some cases, such as for families travelling with small children, and Langton said customer reaction has mainly been "amazingly positive".
The idea of charging passengers by weight has been hotly discussed before, and in the US some airlines require those who do not fit into a seat comfortably to buy a second seat.
1.What does the underlined word "this" in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A. Airlines should charge passengers by flight length.
B. All people throughout the world are the same size.
C. It is unfair to weigh passengers at the airport.
D. Airplanes always run on weight, not seats.
2.In Bharat Bhatta’s eyes, Samoa Air's plan might be _______.
A. funny B. acceptable
C. strange D. disappointing
3.A 100 kg adult flying to American Samoa would be charged _______.
A. $57 B. $75
C. $103 D. $125
4.What does the text mainly tell us?
A. 59.6% of Samoans are considered obese.
B. Samoa Air introduces pay-by-weight pricing.
C. Airlines should charge obese passengers more.
D. Baggage must be calculated as passengers’ weight.
Have you ever noticed that the more you have the more you want? Let’s face it. Thinking our life is good enough doesn’t come naturally to many people. When we have high expectations of everything in life we will run into disappointment. Only when we are aware that needs are different from desires can we live with satisfaction. Here are a few ideas to help you be happier with what you have and who you are.
Focus on what you are thankful for. Most people want things to be better than they are, or when things are going well, we forget to appreciate what we have. Learn to reflect on how much better things are than they could be. Focus on what you are thankful for. Write down 5 things you are grateful for right now.
When we hold onto regrets from decisions we have made, it can really poison our well-being. Many people regret something they can no longer change, which ends up holding them back from moving forward in a more positive manner. What happened in the past is done and gone, so work to stay present and be mindful of the current moment to find more joy and fulfillment.
When we use other people as the measuring stick for our personal success and quality of life we are likely to be less satisfied. Social comparisons can provide useful information when we try to learn from others, but they also hold our perspective in a discontented position. Compare yourself less with others so you can be satisfied more.
When you are focused on your big ambitions and future goals you might elide the daily pleasures that surround you. Learn to slow down and absorb the wonder and beauty around you. Stay present and focus on the task you’re undertaking at the moment. Don’t let the life pass you by because you’re always on the go and distracted by ambition.
Practice looking at life through the lens of contentment and it will become more natural.
1.How can we live with contentment?
A. To change our lifestyle.
B. To have a motivation in life.
C. To give less attention to what we are grateful for.
D. To realize the difference between needs and desires.
2.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?
A. Make wise decisions. B. Know the present situation
C. Let go of regrets. D. Remember the past.
3.The underlined word “elide”(in Paragraph 5) probably means “__”.
A. enjoy B. change C. create D. neglect
4.What should you do to put yourself in a good mood?
A. Make time for simple pleasures. B. Learn from successful people.
C. Focus on your future goals. D. Create chance to learn more.
