The best bikes for the beginners
When it comes to purchasing your first bike, the choice is endless, making it tough to know what to go for. Here are the the best buys on the market right now.
1. Boardman Cx Comp
This is a cross country bike, and it’s so multifunctional that you can handle any terrain(地势) on it , making it a great choice for those wanting to try various cycling subjects. If you leave on the thick tires it comes with, it can ride on various paths and can even handle some less demanding mountain bike routes. Alternatively, put on thin, smooth tires and treat it asa road bike. It has a basket and comes with Shimano Sora gears (变速器), which are outstanding for its price.
£650, Halfords
2. Planet X RT-58 v2
Planet X is based in Yorkshire, which means you’d probably have to buy this bike without seeing it. But it’s worth it，because this is an excellent machine at a lower price, Planet X is a highly rated manufacturer and this model comes with Shimano Sora gearing.
£585, Planet X
3. Specialized Allez E5
Specialized is one of the biggest and most popular brands in cycling, and this is its hugely popular primary road bike. It comes with solid components from front to back and you’ll look great out on the road.
£ 75, Evans Cycles
4. Boardman Road Team Carbon
If you can push your budget further still, this bike is worth the extra investment. The frame is made entirely from carbon, which is lighter, faster and more comfortable than the composition metal models above and gives you an all round and more enjoyable ride. It also means that if you get really serious about cycling, you don’t have to upgrade as quickly as you would with a cheaper bike.
£800, Halfords
1.What is special about Boardman CX Comp?
A. Its Shimano Sora gears.
B. Its reasonable price.
C. Its various functions.
D. Its firm tires.
2.Which one has the lowest price but with Shimano Sora gears?
A. Planet X RT-58 v2.
B. Specialized Allez E5.
C. Boardman CX Comp.
D. Boardman Road Team Carbon,
3.What can we learn about the bikes mentioned in the text?
A. Planet X RT 58 v2 has been sold out so far,
B. Boardman Cx Comp is actually a mountain bike.
C. Specialized Allez E5 is designed for senior cyclists.
D. Boardman Road Team Carbon is made by special materials.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It's pleased to receive gifts from your loved ones. I have received many Christmas gifts over the years. But the best gift I ever received was presented to me by a stranger. I never even knew his name and I only had contact with him for less than 60 seconds. His Christmas present to me changed the way I had thought about people and Christmas.
It was several years ago when my wife asked me to meet her at the local department store on Black Friday morning. They had advertised a child's bike that she wanted to purchase for our son. We stood with a very large crowd, waiting for the manager to blow the whistle. After a while, the whistle blew. It was like throwing a bucket of fish into a tank of sharks. I told my wife that if we obtained a bike, fine, but if we did not, I was OK with that too.
As the shelf of bikes began to gradually decrease in size, I saw my polite opportunity to wrap my hands around the corner of one of the boxes. I lifted it off the box and suddenly felt some mild resistance. I looked up to see one of the largest gentlemen I had ever seen in my life. Threat was not the word to describe his presence. He was decorated with numerous belts of metal pointed leather around both arms and even his neck. Tattoos (文身) were an obvious passion of his.
I started to return anxiously the box but he gently pushed it back in my direction and back into my hands. He then directed it into my shopping cart. He looked at me, smiled, and said, “Merry Christmas. ” My wife and I went to the checkout, paid for the bike and went home. All the way home I was thinking that this moment was by far the best Christmas gift I had ever received. The kindness of a stranger that broke all previous views I may have had of stereotypes and prejudices. I will never forget the tenderness of a human heart in a simple act.
1.Why does the author view the gift as the best one?
A. Because it was given by a stranger.
B. Because it was donated by a charity:
C. Because it improved his level of living.
D. Because it changed his opinion on people.
2.What can we know about the bike mentioned in Paragraph 2?
A. It sold well that night.
B. It was attractive to women.
C. It was sold at a lower price.
D. It was equipped with a whistle.
3.What can we infer about the stranger with tattoos?
A. He was awful in appearance but kind in heart.
B. He was handsome and good-mannered.
C. He was big but cautious in behavior.
D. He was lovely and energetic.
4.What may be the best title for the text?
A. A True Gentleman I Met
B. The Best Gift I Ever Received
C. A Choice That Changed My View
D. A Stranger Who Gave Me a Gift
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Australia is a developed country and the future of its solar industry is looking bright after a record 3.5m panels (嵌板) were installed on rooftops last year, giving the equal output of a medium-sized coal-fired power station. The record 1,057 MW of capacity (生产能力) in small-scale systems installed across the country broke the previous record set in 2012, figures from the Clean Energy Regulator showed on Tuesday.
Australia's solar power prosperity could almost double capacity in a year. The data also revealed that the average system size has also doubled since then from three to six kilowatts as average prices continued to fall. A fully installed 5KW system costs an average of $5,930 in Australia, according to the energy broker Solarchoice. net. au. Its records show that the price has roughly halved in many capital cities since 2012.
The regulator's executive general manager, Mark Williamson, said there was increasing interest in renewals as a way to take control of electricity bills. But more importantly, he said it was also good news for reducing carbon emissions.
“We are seeing a wide cross-section of Australians-households, community centers, schools, and small businesses-receiving rewards under the small-scale renewable energy scheme,” Williamson said. “Our data shows consumers are embracing renewable energy to take control of their electricity bills.”
In 2017, there was a 41% increase in installing renewable energy capacity across all states and territories compared to 2016. Queensland led the way with installed capacity at 295MW, with the Australian Capital Territory taking top place for the biggest annual increase by 57%. “The data collected by the Clean Energy Regulator in 2017 reflects the industry is going from strength to strength. It looks like 2018 will be another big year for the solar industry.”
The total of installed capacity for last year is expected to rise to 1,070MW when all the data is collected. A large coal-fired power station such as Loyd Yang A in Victoria's Latrobe Valley has a capacity of 2,200MW.
1.What do we know about the Australia's solar industry from the first paragraph?
A. It's still risky.
B. It's promising.
C. It's unpredictable.
D. It's within expectation.
2.What's the reason for the Australia's solar industry's development?
A. The entire decrease of the carbon emissions.
B. The autonomous control of the electricity bills.
C. The doubt about the capacity of coal-fired power station.
D. The continuous fall of the average price of installing a solar energy system.
3.What does the underlined phrase“ from strength to strength” in Paragraph 5 suggest?
A. Australia's solar industry is being accepted.
B. Australia's solar industry is developing rapidly.
C. Australia's solar industry is more practical than before.
D. Australia's solar industry is more advanced than other countries.
4.What is the biggest feature of the renewable energy according to Mark Williams?
A. Reducing pollution.
B. Providing enough energy.
C. Lowering electricity bills.
D. Simplifying installed equipment.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Eldon Musk, the entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and Space X, may have a little more time on his hands, as he's leaving his position on the board of the Open AI, according to a blog post.
The departure is likely the result of Tesla's moving into the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which he said in 2017 would be the “best in the world” and would even be able to “predict your destination.” Musk will continue to “donate and advise the organization,” Open AI said in a blog post on Feb. 20, adding that “As Tesla continues to become more focused on AI, this will avoid a potential future conflict for Eldon.”
Musk and Y Combiner CEO Sam Altman co-founded the nonprofit enterprise in December 2015, its mission is to develop safe artificial general intelligence and ensure those developments are made public. Open AI researchers published a paper on the site ArXiv. org, detailing the possible secure threats that come with “malicious” AI. In fact, Musk has heard the “evil AI” alarm several times. On Aug. 11, 2017, he warned that artificial intelligence poses a bigger threat to humanity, and he told a gathering of state governors that the government needs to regulate AI before robots start “killing people.”
Musk's departure from the Open AI board could mean big things for Tesla. As Eton Goodbye, a financial reporter, noted on Futurism, the move “could signal that Tesla is more deeply committed to their own AI projects than we thought.” He added, “Those who have had their ears to any rumors (谣言) that Tesla is ready to deliver vehicles capable of Level 5 autonomy could take this new Open AI development as a sign that the company is inching closer to that unapproachable goal.” No company has reached that level of autonomy, which means that a driverless car could navigate any road under any conditions and that all the human “driver” would need to do is to input a destination.
1.Why does Eldon Musk leave his position?
A. To create safer AI.
B. To build powerful Internet.
C. To develop social communication.
D. To avoid a possible conflict with Tesla.
2.What is the Eldon Musk's attitude towards the AI?
A. Ambiguous.
B. Supportive.
C. Negative.
D. Sympathetic.
3.What does the underlined word “malicious” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A. Advanced.
B. Unpopular.
C. Poisonous.
D. Traditional.
4.What can we infer from Eton Goodbye's comments?
A. Level 5 autonomy is impossible.
B. The rumors about Tesla is meaningless.
C. He has no confidence in Open AI.
D. Level 5 autonomy could set human drivers free.
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
I used to roll my eyes many times before I could get up. Recently, things have changed after I read stories like this one, “Getting up early changed my life”. Here are the benefits I’ve seen so far from changing my workout routine.
I have more energy
As I said, I’ve been a sleepy person while I still love sleeping. I now have an extra burst of energy. I’m less weak in the office, and my brain is more attentive and ready to work. Once, 1., not even coffee could get me ready for the day. But now a good workout can.
I have more confidence
The enough energy rolled into more confidence. I feel better after a workout. Also, after getting especially sweaty, I have to take time to shower, of course. 2..
3.
Getting up earlier and using my energy earlier make me so unbelievably ready for bed by the end of the day. My old routine would consist of getting up at the last possible minute before work and being absolutely exhausted to try to fall asleep. Have you ever felt so tired that you can’t fall asleep? 4..
I have more time
5.. Now that I’ve shifted my schedule, I have a little more time after work to take care of myself, whether that’s spending time with friends, cooking a healthier meal, reading and studying, or even just watching a movie.
A. I sleep better
B. I’m more consistent
C. It sound ridiculous, but it happens
D. I’d have to skip my workout -in favor of a social life
E. I had a hard time to try to wake up physically and mentally
F. Speaking of that old routine, my days used to consist of work and sleep
G. This means I go through my full morning routine instead of just rolling out of bed
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A small dog's loyalty recently melted the hearts of millions of Japanese people. It was reported that it had been waiting for his owner to __________ for three years, not knowing that she __________ would.
A few years ago, an old lady from Osaka, Japan, __________ a cute little lost dog that she named Fu Shi. The two lived __________ for a while, but tragedy came three years ago, when the old lady __________ a brain disease which eventually led to dementia (痴呆). She had to be taken to a nursing home to be under constant special __________, and the small dog found itself all alone again. But he had no __________ that the old lady was never coming back, so he __________ the last three years waiting for her.
__________ told news reporters that, every day, Fu Shi could be seen waiting for his __________ at the corner of the alley-to her house. He would sit there all day, until nightfall, and would then return to the now-abandoned house that they had __________ Touched by the animal's loyalty, one of the neighbors contacted an animal __________, and told them his touching story. Apparently, Fu Shi __________ on the food that the neighbors left for him ever since his owner __________, but they couldn't do anything about his __________.
After giving Fu Shi a check up, a vet __________ that he was 8-years-old, and suffering from intestinal worms. He was given a __________ and made a full recovery.
Fortunately, this heartbreaking story has a __________ ending. After full media __________ in Japan and other Asian countries, Fu Shi has been adopted by a loving family. He also has a new __________ now, Sky.
1.A. pass away B. come back C. calm down D. wake up
2.A. ever B. even C. never D. just
3.A. adopted B. supported C. bought D. fed
4.A. curiously B. seriously C. harmoniously D. anxiously
5.A. avoided B. hated C. cured D. got
6.A. care B. love C. judgment D. experiment
7.A. thought B. hope C. doubt D. idea
8.A. wasted B. spent C. deserved D. lasted
9.A. Strangers B. Friends C. Neighbors D. Relatives
10.A. turn B. mother C. food D. owner
11.A. borrowed B. experienced C. shared D. owned
12.A. rescue B. research C. market D. park
13.A. appeared B. survived C. waited D. moved
14.A. went away B. came up C. ran away D. set up
15.A. mercy B. pleasure C. fiction D. sadness
16.A. doubted B. determined C. wondered D. added
17.A. treatment B. praise C. reward D. gift
18.A. unique B. simple C. funny D. happy
19.A. advertisement B. interest C. report D. conversation
20.A. life B. name C. place D. master
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
With the amazing development in China, all China's major cities have good transport networks. There are the tour buses, mini buses, taxis, as well as public buses.
Buses in Chinese towns are always 1. (crowd). The fare depends on distance, and is payable to the 2. (conduct) of buses.
A taxi is often 3. most convenient means of travel in the city. They are available at airports, railway stations and hotels and even in urban areas. The total fare depends on the starting meter price, 4. can range from 5 to 12 yuan, and the distance. Extra fees 5. (charge) for waiting and low speed driving during traffic jams. If you take a taxi after 11 pm, a 20 percent surcharge 6. (apply) over the basic fare.
The minibus is a compromise between the 7. (relative) expensive taxis and full public transport. Their charge is a little more than that of the bus, about 2 yuan or more 8. (depend) on distance, but it is very convenient, because it can stop 9. any point you want along the route.
Tour buses, normally 10. (equip) with air conditioning and TV, are managed by travel agencies, hotels and airports and provided for short tours. A tour guide is usually present on such buses.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线,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。
Li Dan was trying to wake up from her sleep. She sat up slow, yawning with her eyes closed. Though she knew that she would be later for the ballet lesson if she did not hurry up, but she was still very sleepy. She falls back on the bed and went back to asleep. She even began to dream, and in her dream, she was dancing. She became a elegant swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet, Swan Lake. Then his mother came into the room. Annoying to see Li Dan still sleeping, she said in a loud voices, “Li Dan, get up!” Li Dan struggled to get out of bed. At last, after a quick breakfast, Li Dan left her ballet lesson.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华,上周日在地铁站捡到了英国人Steven的护照。请你用英语给你市某英文报社编辑写一封信,内容包括：
1．简述事件过程;
2．交代护照相关信息;
3．委托报社刊登招领启事。
注意：1．词数100左右;
2．可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
难度: 中等查看答案及解析