A sunflower is a sunflower. A mobile phone is a mobile phone. But can you combin
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A sunflower is a sunflower. A mobile phone is a mobile phone. But can you combine the two to do something for your local environment? As early as next year it may well be possible. When you have finished with your mobile phone you will be able to bury it in a garden or a plant pot and wait for it to flower.
A biodegradable (生物所能分解的) mobile phone was, this month, introduced by scientists. It is hoped that the new type of phone will encourage consumers to recycle.
Scientists have come up with a new material over the last five years. It looks like any other plastic and can be hard or soft, and is able to change shape. Over time it can also break down into the soil without giving out any poisonous chemicals. British researchers used the new material to develop a phone cover that contains a sunflower seed. When this new type of cover turns into waste, it forms fertilizers. These feed the seed and help the flower grow.
Engineers have designed a small transparent (透明的) window to hold the seed. They have made sure it only grows when the phone is thrown away. “We’ve only put sunflower seeds into the covers so far. But we are working with plant experts to find out which flowers would perform best. Maybe we could put roses in next time,” said one scientist.
As phone technology is developing so quickly, people are constantly throwing their mobiles away. This means manufacturers are under pressure to find ways of recycling them. Some 650 million mobile phones have been sold this year. Most of them will be thrown away within two years, adding plastic, heavy metal and chemical waste to the environment. A biodegradable cover can offer some relief (缓解) for nature , according to the scientists.
“The seed comes out and the flower grows in the pot so you don’t have to concern yourself with the phone when you have finished using it,” said Kerry Kirwan. She leads the research team, which is based at the University of Warwick in Britain.
What is the purpose of this passage?
A. To tell the popularity of biodegradable cell phones.
B. To persuade the reader to buy the biodegradable cell phone.
C. To discuss the development of phone technology.
D. To introduce an environmentally-friendly cell phone to readers.
People throw away their cell phones most probably because _______.
A．there is something wrong with them
B．no sunflowers can grow out of them
C．they are out of fashion
D．they are becoming cheaper and cheaper
It could be learned from the passage that _________.
A．developing the new type of phone is mainly to protect the environment
B．phone-makers will benefit much more from the new type of phone
C．the new type of phone will certainly be popular with users all over the world
D．the phones that can be recycled are available only in Britain now
What might be the best title for this passage?
A．Sunflower and Phone. B．Plant Your Phone.
C．Protect Our Environment. D．No Worry about Phone.
Where can we probably find the passage above?
A. In a novel. B. In a magazine. C. In a textbook. D. In a diary |
答案
小题1:D
小题2:C
小题3:A
小题4:B
小题5:B |
解析
| |
举一反三
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
What if you arrived home to find a delicious hot meal waiting for you，prepared by your very own kitchen robot? It might sound like science fiction，but professors at the university of Tokyo have taken the first steps toward making that scenario a reality．The team recently introduced a humanoid kitchen robot that can pour tea and other drinks into cups and serve them to guests．When teatime is over，the robot can also wash the dishes and put them away．
In California，another interesting kitchen robot has been developed．Called the Ready-bot，it can pick up objects and either store them in cabinets or put them in the trash．It also carries a separate floor-cleaning robot that can operate by itself．Unlike the Japanese robot，Readybot is not humanoid．Instead，it looks more like a large box with arms and wheels．
Readybot was created by engineers and designers who established a club called the Readybot Challenge．They believe that in the future millions of robots will be needed in homes to perform ordinary household tasks．Readybot is just the first step in their plan to create a robot that can tackle jobs not only in kitchens but in other rooms of homes and in offices as well．
Clearly there are technological hurdles to overcome before robots can cook a complete dinner，and there are also many safety concerns．Not everyone（especially parents）would be comfortable with the idea of robots in their house，manipulating hot pans and sharp knives．The European Commission recently funded a project to study these concerns．
56．What does the writer imply about the Japanese robot?
A．It performs fewer functions than readybot can．
B．it looks more like a person than Readybot does．
C．It speaks more languages than Readybot does．
D．It costs 1ess to manufacture than Readybot does．
57．Where do the engineers and designers hope that Readybot will operate in the future?
A．On spacecraft B．In automobiles
C．On playgrounds D．At companies
58．What does the writer imply about parents?
A．They have shown tremendous interest in kitchen robots．
B．They don’t have strong opinions about kitchen robots．
C．They might think that kitchen robots could be dangerous．
D．They can’t wait to buy kitchen robots for their homes．
59．According to the writer，what has the European Commission done for the project?
A．It has built factories B．It has printed manuals
C．It has hired workers D．It has provided money |
What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow，orange，red? If you do，you must be an optimist，a leader，an active person who enjoys life，people and excitement．Do you prefer grey and blues? Then you are probably quiet，shy and you would rather follow than lead．If you love green，you are strong-minded and determined．You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful．At least this is what psychologists（心理学家）tell us，and they should know，because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference，and the effect that colors have on human beings．They tell us that we don’t choose our favorite color as we grow up．If you happen to love brown，you did so as soon as you opened your eyes，or at least as soon as you could see clearly．
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one，and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day．On the other hand，black is depressing（压抑）．Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active．It is a fact that factory workers work better，harder，and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray．
Remember，then，that if you feel low，you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things．Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike．And don’t forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief．
60．According to this passage， ．
A．one can choose his color preference
B．one is born with his color preference
C．one’s color preference is changeable
D．one has to choose his favorite color as soon as he can see clearly
61．We would pay attention to colors because ．
A．colors do have effect on our moods（情绪）
B．colors may have effect on our work and study
C．light and bright colors make people happy
D．you can know your friends better by the colors they like or dislike
62．The main idea of this passage is ．
A．one’s color preference shows one’s character
B．you can brighten your lire with wonderful colors
C．psychologists have been studying the meaning of color preference
D．one’s color preference has something to do with his character and colors have effects on
human beings
63．The writer believes that in realizing the four modernizations of our country，we need more
people who love ．
A．yellow B．red C．black D．green |
Fish contains lost of omega-3 fatty acids．These fatty acids have been shown to help prevent heart disease，lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of strokes．Researchers suggest that these benefits of eating fish far outweigh the risks of getting sick from contaminated fish．
Ongoing studies find that omega-3 fatty acids work magic on the brain too．Pregnant? Go out and eat fish! One study tracked a group of expectant women who ate more than 340 grams of fish per week．It turns out they gave birth to children who，years later，scored really high on IQ tests．
How can you add fish to your diet? One way to begin is by replacing meat with fish in one meal a week．Instead of frying，which retains more fat，try boiling your fish in an oven or grilling it outdoors．And don’t be afraid to spice up your fish．Garlic，herbs other spices can add wonderful flavors to fish．
For lighter meals，keep a few cans of tuna or other fish on hand at all times．They’re great for making tasty sandwiches or fish burgers．If you get hungry in the middle of the morning or afternoon，try tuna on crackers．It’s hard to find a better snack．And parents，be sure to introduce fish to your children．It’s important for them to get used to eating it at a young age·
67．What does the writer discuss in this passage?
A．Chemicals in popular drinks B．The best way to lose weight
C．Famous fast food restaurants D．Reasons for having seafood
68．What does the writer point out about the women in the study group?
A．They cooked for their husbands． B．They were going to have babies．
C．They grew their own vegetables． D．They lived with elderly parents．
69．What does the author imply about omega-3 fatty acids?
A．They can make kids smarter． B．They are found in most foods．
C．They last for just a few days． D．They create significant risks．
70．Why is grilling better than frying?
A．It’s fancier． B．It’s quicker． C．It’s cheaper． D．It’s healthier．
71．According to the author，when is a good time to have tuna on crackers?
A．At lunchtime． B．During a party．
C．Between meals． D．After midnight． |
Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the small ones to the life-changing. The right to choose is central to everyone. Yet sometimes we make bad decisions that leave us unhappy or full of regret. Can science help?
Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision-making, but in fact they are a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional centre is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasia, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasia thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choice, which we use to help the present decision-making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems that anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation，so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there is one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.
1. What does the underlined word “central” mean?
A. in the middle B. easy to reach C. important D. having power
2. Damasia’s study suggests that ________.
A. emotions are the enemy of decision-making.
B. our brain has nothing to do with decision-making.
C. people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds.
D. our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions.
3. According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?
A. To think about happy times.
B. To make many decisions at a time.
C. To stop feeling regretful about the past.
D. To learn about the process of decision-making.
4. Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?
A. They often forget their past choices. B. They make decisions without much thinking.
C. They tend to save time when shopping. D. They are too angry to bargain.
5. What do we learn from the text?
A. Emotions are a part of decision-making.
B. Sad people always make worse choices.
C. No emotion seems to help us make good choices.
D. Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation. |
When nature is left alone, a balance is reached among the animals and plants living in one area. But when man starts his work in nature, the balance is likely to be destroyed. He grows a crop and takes it away to eat; then there are no dead leaves to fall on the ground, holding water while it sinks into the surface, or decaying (腐烂) and adding humus (腐殖质) to the soil. Unless a farmer acts with knowledge and skill, he is therefore most likely to make the land poorer. To take the place of the useful matter in the crops that he removes, he uses some kind of fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers are of great help, but the waste products of animals and decaying remains of plants should also be put on the land. In some places, it is a habit to burn waste material lying about, but such burning destroys the useful matter in the dead plants. Although the ashes that are left are valuable when put on the land, a better practice is to bury the waste so that it decays and increases the humus in the soil.
In the past, when the world population was much lower than it is now, a man had little difficulty in ordinary times in growing the food that was needed. When a field had been used some years and had become tired, the farmer could move to another place. The tired land then slowly recovered. Gradually grasses and other plants would appear on it and its productive power would slowly return to normal through their decay. But nature, left alone, would take a long time to bring back the land to its former state; the length of time required would depend on local conditions, but it might well be ten years.
It is a bad practice to grow the same crop in a field year after year. If the crop is changed, the land will suffer less because it is treated and used in a different way. Different plants have different effects on the soil. Therefore, a change of crop will do less harm than the growing of the same crop year after year and a regular change to grass will do good to the soil. Much will therefore be gained if different crops are grown one after another, a method known as the rotation (轮作) of crops.
72. According to the passage, the land will become poorer________.
A. if all the dead leaves are cleared away
B. if the humus is increased after the harvest
C. if dead leaves decay in the soil by themselves
D. if waste plant material lying about is buried
73. We can learn from the passage that the tired land has gradually recovered_______.
A. when grasses and other plants appear again
B. when the treatment is given by nature alone
C. after new grasses and other plants have decayed again
D. after nature has been left alone for several months
74. A modern farmer can hardly move to another place as he did before because_______.
A. the productive power of a new field isn"t higher than that of an old one
B. there are few free fields left for him to do farming
C. it takes a farmer more than ten years to start farming in a new field
D. there will be too many grasses in a new field to grow crops
75. It is most likely that the author will go on to ______ in the paragraph following the passage above.
A. introduce other methods of planting crops
B. deal with how to prevent land getting tired
C. start another topic of how to make use of land
D. explain what the rotation of crops is |
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