The cash machine is 47 years old, but where was the birthplace of this world-bea
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The cash machine is 47 years old, but where was the birthplace of this world-beating invention? New York? Tokyo? No. The first ever cash machine was born in Enfield Town, north London. It was a Scottish inventor, John shepherd Barron, who realized the concept of a self-service machine that could be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to withdraw cash from one’s own bank account. It struck the inventor while he was in the bath. He hit upon the idea of a chocolate bar dispenser, replacing chocolate with cash. On September 2 in 1969, America’s first automatic teller machine (ATM) appeared in public, giving out cash to customers at Chemical Bank, New York. It was only able to give out cash, but in 1971, an ATM that could handle many functions, including depositing(存款) money, was introduced. Today there are over one million ATMs around the world, with a new one added every five minutes. It is reported that Americans over the age of 18 use their ATM card six to eight times a mouth. Not surprisingly, ATMs get their busiest workouts on Fridays. In the 1990s, banks began charging fees to use ATMs, a profitable move for them and an annoying one for consumers. Consumers were also faced with an increase in ATM crimes. Robbers preyed(抢夺) on people using money machines in poorly lit or otherwise unsafe locations, and criminals also thought up ways to steal customers’ PINs (personal identification numbers), even setting up fake money machines to capture the information. In response, city and state governments passed laws such as New York’s ATM Safety Act in 1996, which required banks to install such things as surveillance cameras (监控摄像头), reflective mirrors and locked entryways for their ATMs. 小题1:What does the underlined word, “It”, in the first paragraph, probably refer to?A.The opening time of the bank. | B.The concept of an ATM. | C.Ordinary banking service. | D.The act of withdrawing cash. | 小题2: Which of the following is true about ATM?A.It appeared earlier than the chocolate bar dispenser. | B.It was invented by a Scottish man in 1971. | C.It was at first free of charge for its consumers. | D.It was originally designed to deposit money. | 小题3: What can we learn from the text? "A. Americans under the age of 18 are not allowed to have an ATM card. | B. People are more likely to turn to ATMs for banking service on Fridays. | C. Criminals usually choose unsafe locations to steal customers" PINs. | D. The ATM crime rate in New York is much lower than that in other state | 小题4: Which of the following might be the best title for the text?A. How to Operate on an ATM | B. What is Waiting for ATMs in the Future? | C. The First ATM Opened for Business | D.The Unknown Truth about ATM |
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答案
小题1:B 小题2:C 小题3:B 小题4:D |
解析
本文主要讲述的是ATM的一些不为人所知的事情,ATM的发明者以及具体的发展历程。 小题1:B 【试题解析】推理题。根据第一段3,4,5行It was a Scottish inventor, John shepherd Barron, who realized the concept of a self-service machine that could be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to withdraw cash from one’s own bank account.可知是苏格拉人John shepherd Barron首先有了the concept of a self-service machine的概念。所以下句中的it就是指自动取款机的想法。故B正确。 小题2:C 【试题解析】推理题。根据第二段最后2行In the 1990s, banks began charging fees to use ATMs, a profitable move for them and an annoying one for consumers.可知在1990s,银行开始对ATM的使用收费了,说明之前在刚刚开始使用的时候是不收费的。故C正确。 小题3:B 【试题解析】细节题。根据第二段第6行Not surprisingly, ATMs get their busiest workouts on Fridays. 可知在星期五的时候,ATM是最忙的,也就是说人们最喜欢是在星期五使用ATM。故B正确。 小题4:D 【试题解析】主旨大意题。根据文章第一段前3行The cash machine is 47 years old, but where was the birthplace of this world-beating invention? New York? Tokyo? No. The first ever cash machine was born in Enfield Town, north London. 可知本文主要讲述的是关于ATM的一些我们所不知道的事情。故D正确。 【长难句解析】 It was a Scottish inventor, John shepherd Barron, who realized the concept of a self-service machine that could be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to withdraw cash from one’s own bank account. 【翻译】正是一位苏格兰的发明家,John shepherd Barron他意识到一种自动服务的机器可以一天24小时、一周7天、天天都被使用,来从银行账户里取钱。 【分析】本句中有一个强调句型,It was a Scottish inventor, John shepherd Barron, who realized the concept of a self-service machine 。强调句子的主语a Scottish inventor, John shepherd Barron。句中还有一个定语从句that could be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to withdraw cash from one’s own bank account.修饰先行词a self-service machine。 |
举一反三
This the best time and this the worst time;this is the time of great material richness and this is the time of desert of soul.Everyone seems to be rushing around for something but they have never fulfilled they dream.Everyone tries to seek happiness but it seems to be nowhere to be found. When asked“what on earth can make you happy?”,most modern man would give similar replies such as becoming extremely wealthy,or getting promoted in work and then becoming very wealthy.When asked“what will you do with your wealth?”,they would make a long list of things they have been longing for.However haven’t you noticed the multibillionaires are not as happy as we common guys suppose them to be?Haven’t you noticed that the multibillionaire celebrities don’t even enjoy the fundamental freedom of going shopping with their own families without being followed by annoying paparazzi? If we hinge our happiness on such big issues,we are bound to be unhappy all through our life, because those big issues might just occur to us once in a blue moon. As Socrates once put it,“He is the richest who is content with the least,for content is the wealth of nature”.But how can we “be content with the least”?If you pay due attention,our life is loaded with little joys,sometime too little to be noticeable.Stop once in a while in your rush to your destination,look around and you will see that there are always little things worth cheering for. You got an“A”in a test.Good!You listened to all inspiring lecture.Great!You offered a helping hand to someone who had a flat tire! Amazing! Your dream girl/boy greeted you with a sweet smile!Fantastic!And so on and so forth!Let’s cheer for the little joys in life! Please keep in mind that never should we wait to be happy! 小题1:What is the best title of the text?A.Money means happiness. | B.Happiness is all around us. | C.Dreams make our life rich. | D.Satisfaction is unacceptable. | 小题2:According to the text,which of the following statements is NOT true?A.Money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. | B.Desire for wealth makes people unhappy. | C.Great occasions are worth celebrating. | D.We should ignore little joys in our life. | 小题3:What does the underlined phrase in the third paragraph probably mean?A.Rarely. | B.Regularly. | C.Normally. | D.Frequently. | 小题4:According to Socrates,people who are“content with the least”are ___________.A.greedy | B.ambitious | C.optimistic | D.reliable | 小题5:In the fourth paragraph,the author suggests that we should ___________.A.set up great goals in life | B.make full use of opportunities | C.enjoy even moment in life | D.seek significant issues in life |
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Many people cannot start their day without first having a cup of coffee or tea.These drinks help them think clearly and feel more awake.This is because of caffeine,which helps to give a jump start to the nervous system.Now,a report says it may also boost long-term memory. Mike Yassa is a neurobiology professor.He and other researchers wanted to know if caffeine could improve a person’s memory.He explains,“After you learn anything,it takes some time for that memory to strengthen.And over the first 24 hours is actually where most of the forgetting happens.So that is where we wanted to intervene with caffeine and see if we can help reduce this forgetting.” They took 160 caffeine-free people and showed them pictures of everyday objects. These people were asked if the objects could be found inside the house, or outdoors.Then some of the subjects were given a caffeine pill.The others were given a placebo—a pill containing nothing. 24 hours later,the subjects were shown the exact same images from the day before.They were also shown images with slight differences,and some completely new images. Both groups correctly identified the exact same and completely new pictures.But those who took the caffeine pill were better at spottingthe pictures that were slightly different. Professor Yassa says their answers helped to show the effects of caffeine on memory. And we find that if they are on caffeine they are much more likely to make the right decision.” The amount of caffeine the researchers used in the study was similar to one cup of strong coffee.The researchers did not see any improvement to memory from smaller doses of caffeine or when it was given an hour before viewing the images. 小题1:What is the focus of the text? A.Caffeine can make people addicted. | B.Caffeine can make people energetic. | C.Caffeine can improve long—term memory. | D.Caffeine can make people feel comfortable. | 小题2:What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?A.How the experiment was conducted. | B.Who took part in the experiment. | C.Which group of subjects did better. | D.What was used in the experiment. | 小题3:In which section of a magazine can we read this text?A.Culture. | B.Technology. | C.Health. | D.Education. | 小题4:Which of the following statements is NOT true?A.Most forgetting occurs within the first 24 hours. | B.Forgetting can be positively affected by caffeine. | C.The subjects were given different pills. | D.Yassa was disappointed with the result. | 小题5:What can we learn from the last paragraph?A.More caffeine means better memory. | B.Smaller doses of caffeine doesn’t work. | C.The time to take cafieine doesn’t matter. | D.Caffeine is taken before the experiment. |
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Have you got some paper, a pair of scissors and, above all, a desire to decorate your house? Then, we have the perfect holiday artwork for you: Make Star Wars snowflakes (雪花). Remembered as a cherished form of work in classrooms before the holidays, paper snowflakes have drawn many people"s attention again.
The designer, Anthony Herrera, just recently released his 2013 collection. "The Star Wars snowflake designs began as just doing designs of characters that I and my daughter wanted to make three years ago," Herrera told us in an email. "The second year I introduced vehicles, and this year I decided to push further by designing battle scenes." Sometimes, he feels a bit bored with his job. With each year, the designs have got more detailed and various, but the process of creating them remained the same: sketching figures on paper with a pencil until a symmetrical (对称)pattern comes out, then scanning the designs and cut them with scissors. However, he says he has plenty of ideas for new flakes next year, so no two will ever be the same. Hopefully with Star Wars: Episode VII coming in 2015 he"ll have even more work in the future. Check out your favorite finished versions of Herrera’s flakes (from both 2013 and previous years) and download the pictures beneath them and then get down to creating your own work. A warning: Most designs aren"t for the casual flake-maker, so patience you must have. 小题1: Making paper snowflakes draws many people"s attention probably because ______.A.it is a traditional form of decoration | B.it is a course of artwork in school | C.it is a way of killing time in holiday | D.it is designed by Anthony Herrera | 小题2: From the text, we know that Herrera ______.A.can make snowflakes with his daughter"s help | B.made more complicated designs before 2013 | C.introduced paper vehicles in 2011 | D.will make a great variety of detailed paper flakes | 小题3: Herrera is fed up with the job sometimes because ______A.he has to design detailed and different patterns | B.he has to follow the fixed process of paper cutting | C.he spends much time designing, scanning and cutting | D.he has few ideas for what the next designs will be like | 小题4: By writing the last paragraph, the author tries to ______.A.offer us more information about Herrera’s paper cutting | B.tell us how to download picture of snowflakes | C.instruct people to be a real creative artist | D.remind us of being patient with Herrera’s designs |
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Smoggy weather has become common in China. But these days, air pollution levels in the north eastern city of Harbin surpassed the previous record levels. The city was essentially shut down after PM2. 5, fine Particulate(微粒物) pollution that is considered hazardous(有害的) . reached levels of 1000 micrograms per cubic meter-40 times the safety level remended by the World Health Organization. Schools, motorways and an airport were closed on Tuesday as visibility in some areas of the city dropped to less than 10 meters. Photos from Harbin showed residents covering their mouths with masks and scarves, and moving like ghostly shadows through the fog. Cars and motorcycles are moving slowly as traffic came to a standstill with traffic lights barely visible. . Just days previously , the World Health Organization"s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified air pollution as a carcinogen(致癌物) . It stated that there is " sufficient evidence" that exposure to outdoor air pollution causes lung cancer and also linked it with an increased risk of bladder cancer. It"s said that exposure has increased significantly particularly in " rapidly industrial countries with large populations". "The air we breathe has become polluted with a mixture of cancer-causing substances" , Dr Kurt Straif , head of the IARC said in a press released. "We now know that outdoor air pollution is not only a major risk to health in general, but also a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths. " On the Chinese social media site Weibo , many users complained about the pollution and shared their concerns. References to "feed people with smog "have become popular on Weibo and there is a sarcastic play on the expression "serve the people" , as the two have a similar pronunciation. "The impact of air pollution on people will be gradual. There won"t be a sudden outbreak of symptoms, but normally three to five days after the smoggy weather occurs, there is a peak in the number of people seeing doctors, " Deng Ying, a doctor at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University was quoted as saying. 小题1: As thick smog has become a common scene in Harbin, ______A.students there can go to school as usual | B.residents in the city can see as far as 20 meters | C.traffic lights can be easily visible | D.the urban traffic has been seriously influenced | 小题2: When exposed to outdoor air pollution, what kind of disease can be caused?A.Cancer of stomach | B.Breast cancer | C.Bladder cancer | D.Ovarian cancer | 小题3: According to Dr Kurt Straif , we can learn that_______.A. the effect of the. smoggy weather is gradual | B. air pollution is the man environmental cause, of cancer deaths | C.exposure has greatly increased in countries with large populations | D."feed people with smog" has bee a hot word | 小题4: The purpose of this passage is toA.awaken people"s environmental awareness | B.warn people not to go out in smoggy weather | C.call for the public to wear their masks | D.advise people not to live in Harbin |
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There"s something rotten in Rio and the smell is coming from the huge stacks of rubbish pried up on sidewalks all over the city. Rio"s street sweepers chose the carnival holiday to demand better salaries. Their wages start at roughly $400 a month. There could hardly be a better time for them to prove their importance. The streets were left a mess after hundreds of carnival parades and now, rubbish pries up in both poor and uptown neighbourhoods and in tourist areas like Ipanema or Copacabana beach. The president of Rio"s rubbish collecting company has even appealed to the population to store rubbish at home whenever possible. He says 30% of the city"s sweepers have gone on strike. Some of those who have been working have been threatened by the strike movement so now the police has been deployed alongside rubbish collectors to keep them sage as they go about their business. The strike has divided opinions in Rio. On social media, many support the sweepers" demands for better salaries. Others say they are opportunists and the situation is a big embarrassment to the city. But Brazil"s culture of littering the streets doesn"t help. A video that went viral online shows that even authorities have a problem with that. Rio"s mayor, Eduardo Paes, is seen throwing what seemed to be the rest of an apple on the sidewalk--and now promised to impose himself a fine for his wrongdoing. His government recently created a programme to keep Rio"s residents from littering the streets. 小题1:Rio"s street cleaners go on strike toA.prove their importance | B.threaten the government | C.ask for higher salaries | D.appeal to the public not to litter | 小题2:The reason why the police are involved is that __A.the police are called out to put down the riot | B.the police are required to protect some cleaners | C.the police are to collect rubbish for the time being | D.the police are sent to arrest people who litter around | 小题3:The author"s attitude to Brazil"s culture of littering is __A.hopeless | B.approving | C.critical | D.optimistic | 小题4: The purpose of writing the passage is to __A.criticize, street sweepers of Rio for misusing their rights | B.call attention to the embarrassing situation of Rio | C.describe the effect or the strike on people | D.inform people of the present situation of Rio |
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