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The argument over a Philadelphia school district accused of secretly spying on pupils through laptop cameras became fiercer today after it acknowledged obtaining more than 56,000 images of its students, many of them in their homes.
When the scandal (丑闻) first broke, it was believed that only a few pictures had been taken of one pupil, Blake Robbins. But court papers released this week showed that thousands of images were taken of Robbins and other students.
Robbins and his parents have filed an action against the school district. Court papers from the Robbins’s lawyers said that at first it was thought that the laptops’ technology had produced a few images but they found more than 400 of Robbins, including images “showing him partially undressed and sleeping”.
Robbins said he did not know why the spying device was activated (激活) as his laptop had not been reported stolen or missing. Other students whose pictures were taken said their laptops had not been reported stolen or missing either.
An administrator at the school, one of the few with authority to track the laptops, remained silent, refusing to answer questions.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that 38,500 of the images came from six laptops that had been reported missing from the Harriton gym in September 2008. These apparently helped the police catch a suspect. Another set of images were from cameras in laptops which employees responsible for tracking failed or forgot to turn off.
The court papers, filed by Robbins’ lawyers, said that the technology was activated between 20 October and 4 November last year, with most of the 400 shots of him while he was in his home, and included his family. “There were additional webcam pictures and screen shots taken of Blake Robbins which, up to now, have not been recovered because the evidence was deleted by the IT department,” the court papers say.
One of Robbins’ lawyers is trying to obtain access to the administrator’s home computer to confirm whether she downloaded any of the pictures. The court papers indicate she may be a voyeur (窥隐私者) though it has not been proved.
1.We can learn from the passage that _________.
A. Robbins’ parents remained calm over the scandal
B. Robbins had his laptop stolen before the scandal
C. the laptops’ technology produced some images
D. the private rights of the students were offended
2.What did The Philadelphia Inquirer say about the case?
A. The police had found some evidence.
B. Most of the laptops in Harriton gym were missing.
C. Employees in charge of tracking deliberately left the laptops on.
D. There was obviously more than one suspect related to the case.
3.According to the court papers, the administrator _________.
A. may have spied her students on purpose
B. may have broken into Robbin’s house
C. has downloaded many students’ pictures
D. has removed evidence from computers
4. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. Modern technology has negative effects on our lives.
B. Students in Philadelphia are accustomed to being spied on secretly.
C. A Philadelphia school is charged with spying students through laptop cameras.
D. The American government should take measures to improve teachers’ qualities.
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Why 2012 was the best year ever
It may not feel like it, but 2012 has been the greatest year in the history of the world. Never has there been less hunger, less disease or more prosperity (繁荣). The West remains in the economic depression, but most developing countries are charging ahead, and people are being lifted out of poverty at the fastest rate ever recorded. The number of deaths caused by war and natural disasters is also mercifully low. We are living in a golden age.
Take global poverty as an example. In 1990, the UN announced Millennium Development Goals, the first of which was to halve the number of people in extreme poverty by 2015. It turned out this year that the target was met in 2008.
The doom-mongers (末世论者) will tell you that we cannot maintain worldwide economic growth without ruining our environment. But while the rich world’s economies grew by 6 per cent over the last seven years, fossil fuel (矿物燃料) consumption in those countries fell by 4 per cent. This remarkable achievement has nothing to do with green taxes or wind-farms. It is down to consumer demand for more efficient cars.
Advances in medicine and technology mean that people across the world are living longer. The average life span in Africa reached 55 this year. Ten years ago, it was 50. The number of people dying from Aids has been in decline for the last eight years. Deaths from malaria have fallen by a fifth in half a decade.
War has historically been human’s biggest killer. But in most of the world today, a generation is growing up that knows little of it. The Peace Research Institute in Oslo says there have been fewer war deaths in the last decade than any time in the last century.
Fifty years ago, the world was breathing a sigh of relief after the Cuban missile crisis. Young couples would discuss whether it was responsible to have children when the future seemed so dark. But now, it’s worth remembering that, in spite of all our problems, the forces of peace, progress and prosperity are prevailing (占优势).
1.What has caused the decrease in the fossil fuel consumption?
A. People have to pay heavier taxes on fossil fuel.
B. There are more and more renewable resources now.
C. There is a sharp decline in the number of cars.
D. People are purchasing more energy-saving cars.
2. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. People don’t suffer from malaria any more.
B. There were many more war deaths in the last century.
C. The young generation shows little interest in war.
D. The number of Aids-affected people is declining.
3. Which one does NOT help prove that 2012 was the best year ever?
A. Fewer natural disasters occurred. B. Global poverty relieved.
C. Cuban missile crisis ended. D. Technology and medicine advanced.
4. The author tries to inform people that _______.
A. 2012 witnessed more advances in developed countries
B. 2012 brought us less starvation and more prosperity
C. 2012 saw economic growth as well as environmental destruction
D. 2012 provided us with a peaceful world free from conflicts
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SAS Institute 2012 rank: 1 (2011 rank: 2)
Headquarters: Cary, N.C., USA
Software company SAS climbed to the top of the global list this year, edging up from the No. 2 spot it held last year. So what makes this company so great to work for? Well, for one thing, its leaders are certainly accessible. CEO Jim Goodnight hosts monthly “Conversations Over Coffee,” unscripted breakfast meetings that are open to all employees. These conversations are so popular that other division heads have begun to hold similar events for their employees.
Google 2012 rank: 2 (2011 rank: 4)
Headquarters: Mountain View, Calif., USA
Google moved up by two spots in this year’s ranking of global workplaces. The highly desirable tech receives 61 times as many applicants as they have existing jobs, and for good reason. Google seems to be all about coaching. The company’s “CareerGuru” program makes 43 of its senior leaders available for one-on-one, confidential career coaching sessions with other Googlers.
Engineering employees at all levels can also get advice from “EngAdvisors”, senior engineers at Google who can discuss any number of issues, like work-life balance, conflict resolution, and performance reviews.
NetApp 2012 rank: 3 (2011 rank: 3)
Headquarters: Sunnyvale, Calif., USA
All new employees at data storage provider NetApp participate in the TOAST (“Training On All Special Things”) orientation program, which introduces new arrivals to NetApp’s senior management. The meetings are held every month and are always led by the executive team.
Microsoft 2012 rank: 4 (2011 rank: 1)
Headquarters: Redmond, Wash., USA
As part of Microsoft’s commitment to promoting women in technology, the company established its DigiGirlz program in 2000. Microsoft hosts a series of DigiGirlz Day events where female high school students meet Microsoft employees and learn about careers in technology. In 2011, some 36 Microsoft locations across the world hosted more than 2,000 girls. Microsoft also holds DigiGirlz High Tech Camps, multi-day programs where participants get hands-on experience with technology during workshops and meet with tech executives.
1. What helped make SAS climb to the top of the list in 2012?
A. Accessible leaders. B. Popular divisions.
C. Qualified employees. D. Quality software.
2.Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Microsoft employed over 2,000 girl workers in 2011.
B. New engineering Googlers could get advice from senior Googlers.
C. All NetApp employees had to attend a special training.
D. All leaders in SAS had the same conversations with their employees.
3.These American companies are ranked according to _________.
A. the training program each company establishes
B. the wealth each company possesses now
C. the level of technology each of the company reaches
D. the number of people willing to work for the company
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Now came great news! It came from a neighboring state, where the family’s only surviving relative lived. It was Sally’s relative — a distant relative by the name of Tilbury Foster, seventy and single. Tilbury now wrote to Sally, saying he should shortly die, and should leave him thirty thousand dollars, cash; not for love, but because money had given him most of his troubles, and he wished to place it where there was good hope that it would continue its evil work. The bequest would be found in his will, and would be officially handed over provided that Sally should be able to prove to the executors (遗嘱执行人).
As soon as Aleck had partially recovered from the strong emotions created by the letter, she sent someone to the relative’s home and subscribed for the local paper.
For the rest of the day Sally made confusion with his books, and Aleck could not keep her mind on her affairs, not even take up a flower-pot or book or a stick of wood without forgetting what she had intended to do with it. For both were dreaming.
“Thirty thousand dollars!”
All day long Aleck was absorbed in planning how to invest it, Sally in planning how to spend it.
There was no romance-reading that night. The children took themselves away early, for their parents were silent, disturbed, and strangely unentertaining. Two pencils had been busy during that hour — note-making; in the way of plans. It was Sally who broke the stillness at last. He said, with excitement, “Ah, it’ll be grand, Aleck! Out of the first thousand we’ll have a horse and a buggy for summer, and a cutter and a skin lap-robe for winter.”
Aleck responded with decision and calmness.
“You can spend a part of it. But the whole of the capital must be put right to work.
“Why, yes. Yes, of course. Have you got it invested yet?”
“No, there’s no hurry about that; I must look around first, and think, er…, I’ve turned it over twice; once in oil and once in wheat.”
“Why, Aleck, it’s splendid! What does it amount to?”
“I think — well, to be on the safe side, about a hundred and eighty thousand clear, though it will probably be more.”
“My! Isn’t it wonderful? Good heaven! Luck has come our way at last, Aleck!”
Then they went up to bed, but they left the candle burning in the sitting room. They did not remember until they were undressed; then Sally was for letting it burn; he said they could afford it, if it was a thousand. But Aleck went down and put it out.
A good job, too; for on her way back she hit on a scheme that would turn the hundred and eighty thousand into half a million before it had had time to get cold.
1. Why would Tilbury like to give all his money to Sally?
A. Because Sally was Tilbury’s only relative alive.
B. Because Tilbury loved Sally and his family deeply.
C. Because Tilbury wanted his money to continue its function.
D. Because Sally and his wife are good at investing.
2.The underlined word “bequest” in Paragraph1 probably means _________.
A. a gift of personal property B. a proof of a person’s identity
C. a method of getting money D. a reason for giving money
3.What do we know about Sally and his wife after receiving the letter?
A. They were in deep sorrow and stayed up all night.
B. They cared little about the bequest and lived their life as usual.
C. They paid a visit to Tilbury to confirm the truth of the letter.
D. They had a big ambition to invest the money and make huge profits.
4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Thrilling News B. Sally’s Distant Relative
C. The $30,000 Bequest D. A Smart Investment
