They may be teenagers,but 17-year-old Brittany Bull and 16-year-old Sesam Mngqengqiswa have grand ambitions—to launch Africa’s first private satellite into space.They are part of a team of high school girls from Cape Town,South Africa,who have designed and built equipment for a satellite that will orbit over the earth’s poles scanning Africa’s surface.
Once in space,the satellite will collect information on agriculture,and food security within the continent.Using the data,“we can try to determine and predict the problems Africa will be facing in the future”,explains Bull,a student at Pelican Park High School.“Where our food is growing,where we can plant more trees and vegetation and also how we can monitor remote areas,”she says.“We have a lot of forest fires and floods but we don’t always get out there in time.”Information received twice a day will go towards disaster prevention.
It’s part of a project by South Africa’s Meta Economic Development Organization(MEDO) working with Morehead State University in the US.
The girls (14 in total) are being trained by satellite engineers from Cape Peninsula University of Technology,in an effort to encourage more African women into STEM(science,technology,engineering,mathematics).
Scheduled to launch in May 2017,if successful,it will make MEDO the first private company in Africa to build a satellite and send it into orbit.
Mngqengqiswa comes from a single parent household.Her mother is a domestic worker.By becoming a space engineer or astronaut,the teenager hopes to make her mother proud.“Discovering space and seeing the Earth’s atmosphere,it’s not something many black Africans have been able to do,or get the opportunity to look at.I want to see and experience these things for myself,”says Mngqengqiswa.
Her team mate Bull agrees,“I want to show to fellow girls that we don’t need to sit around or limit ourselves.Any career is possible—even aerospace.”
1.What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?
A. Information provided by the satellite.
B. The benefits brought by the satellite.
C. Problems African agriculture faces.
D. The way the satellite collects information.
2.Why are the experts teaching the girls satellite technology?
A. To turn them into good farmers.
B. To help African women to live better.
C. To train employees for a private company.
D. To attract more African women to sci-tech fields.
3.What do you think of the girls in the text?
A. Ambitious and pioneering. B. Generous and considerate.
C. Independent and modest. D. Brave and tolerant.
Half off usually unaffordable products?Only $49.99 for that $100.00 dinner?That’s the magic of Groupon,but for some small business owners the “great business” offered by Groupon can be equal to the kiss of death.How could that occur?
The math of Groupon seems simple at a glance,but upon further inspection the numbers don’t add up when it comes to smaller businesses.A Groupon typically offers a 50% discount on a product or service;then the remaining profit is divided between Groupon and the small business.While Groupon has already received the profit in advance,the merchant is left waiting for their cut.Those worrying numbers are assuming the price cut is 50/50,which,in some cases,is being generous.
When you break it down to numbers,a Groupon deal seems disastrous,but it’s not only the numbers small business owners have to worry about.The point of Groupon deals is to attract new and hopefully long term customers.Yet,does this actually happen?The majority of consumers buying the Groupon are there for the bargain and don’t return after using their Groupon.CFHS Junior Angelita Pope stated,“I love the deals offered by Groupon!They can really save you so much money.”However,she went on to say that she hadn’t returned once to any of the businesses after using her Groupon.
For some small businesses,the pressure lies with the responses of their loyal customers,who watch as new faces get the same product or service for half the price that they have been paying for years.When you break it down,Groupon indicates that the business offering the deal is not only willing to be flexible with their price,but also that their product or service isn’t worth the price they’re charging for.When combining these factors,it’s no wonder loyal customers are put off by the idea of their favorite shop offering Groupons.
Now I by no means say Groupons have bad effects on all businesses;however the storm of Groupon is actually a disaster for a small business.
1.What is good about Groupon?
A. It can offer a large discount.
B. It helps add up the numbers.
C. It can improve the quality of the product.
D. It brings small business owners more profit.
2.CFHS Junior Angelita Pope’s statement suggests that .
A. small business owners needn’t worry about deals
B. people like using Groupon in the same business
C. the purpose of Groupon is to promote business
D. Groupon may not bring customers back
3.What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A. New faces. B. Loyal customers.
C. Groupon dealers. D. Small businesses.
4.What could be the best title for the text?
A. A new business trend—Groupon dealing
B. The development of a Groupon company
C. The effects of Groupon on small businesses
D. A fantastic shopping experience—Groupon
In a shocking upset,70-year-old Republican candidate Donald Trump rode a wave to victory as voters elected him the 45th President of the United States in November,2016.
Actually,a lot of experts had predicted that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would come out on top.Throughout the campaign,one of Trump’s main challenges was to persuade voters that he has the attitude,knowledge and judgment to be president.In the end,he was able to attract more than enough voters to his side.
Hillary Clinton admitted the election to Trump in a phone call at around 2:30 am.“Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time,”Trump told his supporters during his victory speech.“We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.”
Hillary Clinton delivered her speech later in the day.“We must accept this result and then look to the future,” she told her disappointed supporters.“Donald Trump is going to be our president.We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.”
Trump’s rise to the presidency comes after a long career as a real estate developer.He built skyscrapers, resorts and golf courses.He also risked other businesses,introducing Trump Steaks,Trump Natural Spring Water,and an airline called Trump Shuttle.In 2004,he became a TV star with the reality show The Apprentice.
Now Trump and his team will have to face many difficult things.They’ll have to work to bring the country together after a divisive campaign that upset millions of Americans. Throughout the country,millions of Americans are out of work and struggling to make ends meet.The new president must also address international issues.They include the war on terrorism and the refugee crisis.Still,Trump says he sees a bright future ahead.“Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential,” he told his supporters.
1.What should many experts think of Trump’s victory?
A. It is expected. B. It is satisfying.
C. It is annoying. D. It is surprising.
2.How old was Donald Trump when he became a TV star?
A. 50 years old. B. 54 years old.
C. 58 years old. D. 62 years old.
3.What can be learned about Donald Trump from the passage?
A. He was a businessman. B. He has been serving in government.
C. He thought badly of Hillary Clinton. D. He is worried about America.
4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A. The problems with America.
B. The challenges Trump will face.
C. Trump’s ideas about his future work.
D. The decisions Trump will have to make.
Jessica Westervelt,a Spanish teacher at Bethlehem High School in New York,created an activity called “House Hunters”,which was inspired by the popular television show “House Hunters International”,for her Spanish class about four years ago.
Similar to the show,students work in groups,pretending to be real house agents,and look for three houses in Spanish-speaking countries.She uses the activity to teach vocabulary related to the home,chores,travel and vacation.She created the exercise because she wanted to incorporate her students’ interests into the curriculum.At the time,a group of her students were big fans of the show.
The students look for a house for Westervelt to buy to live in,or rent for vacation.She tells them what she is looking for in a home and gives them a budget.Students work in groups of three,and each student is responsible for finding one house in a Spanish-speaking country that fits the requirements.
The groups usually make a brochure describing the houses they find.Each group presents their findings to the class,while the other students take notes.The entire activity is done in Spanish,so students get to practice their writing,listening and conversation skills.They also get some cultural education when researching homes in Spanish-speaking countries.Westervelt says that students planning to take the class look forward to her project.
Westervelt says,“I think any time that you can find a way to link into something that they are interested in outside of school,it makes it more realistic for them and it makes that activity much more enjoyable for them.”
1.How did Westervelt come up with the idea of the activity?
A. She got it from a TV program. B. She was inspired by her students.
C. She learned it from a house agent. D. She was taught that in high school.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “incorporate” in Paragraph 2?
A. change B. absorb
C. force D. persuade
3.What are the students supposed to do with the houses they find?
A. Rent the houses for their vacation. B. Live in the houses for a while.
C. Write an introduction to the houses. D. Choose and buy one for their teacher.
4.What do Westervelt’s words in the last paragraph mean?
A. Most school activities are not enjoyable.
B. Students should be realistic about study.
C. Out-of-school activities are very important.
D. Learning should be combined with interest.
假如你是李华，近日目睹了一次严重的交通事故：一名小男孩因闯红灯被车撞受伤。此事引发了你对交通安全的思考。请根据以下要点给校英语报社投稿。
1.存在的问题；
2.造成的后果；
3.提出建议。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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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（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，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。
Sometimes there’s no so much work for you to deal with and you felt it’s beyond your ability to finish them. Actually, you can take measure to help yourself out. Firstly, list all the tasks which must be done and decide which one requires immediately attention. Secondly, divide the work into separate from parts so it’ll be easier for you to see whether each part is being accomplished as desiring. Besides, assign a little extra time for each task, such that the work will be carried out systematically. Finally, you’ll find sense of accomplishment will replace the anxious you felt at first.
