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December 15，2014
Dear Alfred,
I want to tell you how important your help is to my life.
Growing up, I had people telling me I was too slow, though, with an IQ of 150+ at 17, I’m anything but stupid. The fact was that I was found to have ADHD(注意力缺陷多动障碍)．Anxious all the time, I was unable to keep for more than an hour at a time.
However, when something did interest me, I could become absorbed. In high school, I became curious about the computer, and built my first website. Moreover, I completed the senior course of Computer Basics, plus five relevant precollege courses.
While I was exploring my curiosity, my disease got worse. I wanted to go to college after high school, but couldn’t. So I was killing my time at home until June 2012 when I discovered the online computer courses of your training center.
Since then, I have taken courses like Data Science and Advanced Mathematics. Currently, I’m learning your Probability course. I have hundreds of printer paper, covered in self-written notes from your videos. This has given me a purpose.
Last year, I spent all my time looking for a job where, without dealing with the public, I could work alone, but still have a team to talk to. Luckily, I discovered the job—Data Analyst—this month and have been going full steam ahead. I want to prove that I can teach myself a respectful profession, without going to college, and be just as good as, if not better than, my competitors.
Thank you. You’ve given me hope that I can follow my heart. For the first time, I feel good about myself because I’m doing something, not because someone told me I was doing good. I feel whole.
This is why you’re saving my life.
Yours,
Tains
1.Why didn’t Tains go to college after high school?
A. She had learned enough about computer science.
B. She had more difficulty keeping focused.
C. She preferred taking online courses.
D. She was too slow to learn.
2.As for the working environment，Tanis prefers ________.
A. working by herself B. dealing with the public
C. competing against others D. staying with ADHD students
3.Tanis wrote this letter in order to ________.
A. explain why she was interested in the computer
B. share the ideas she had for her profession
C. show how grateful she was to the center
D. describe the courses she had taken so far
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“I see you’ve got a bit of water on your coat,’’ said the man at the petrol station. ‘‘Is it raining out there?’’ ‘‘No. it’s pretty nice,” I replied, checking my sleeve. “Oh, right. A pony(马驹) bit me earlier.”
As it happened, the bite was virtually painless: more the kind of small bite you might get from a naughty child. The pony responsible was queuing up for some ice cream in the car park near Haytor, and perhaps thought I'd jumped in ahead of him.
The reason why the ponies here are naughty is that Haytor is a tourist—heavy area and tourists are constantly feeding the ponies foods, despite signs asking them not to. By feeding the ponies, tourists increase the risk of them getting hit by a car, and make them harder to gather during the area’s annual pony drift(迁移).
The purpose of a pony drift is to gather them up so their health can be checked, the baby ones can be stopped from feeding on their mothers’ milk, and those who’ve gone beyond their limited area can be returned to their correct area. Some of them are also later sold, in order to limit the number of ponies according to the rules set by Natural England.
Three weeks ago, I witnessed a small near—disaster a few miles west of here. While walking, I noticed a pony roll over on his back. “Hello!” I said to him, assuming he was just rolling for fun, but he was very still and, as I got closer, I saw him kicking his legs in the air and breathing heavily. I began to properly worry about him. Fortunately, I managed to get in touch with a Dartmoor’s Livestock Protection officer and send her a photo. The officer immediately sent a local farmer out to check on the pony. The pony had actually been trapped between two rocks. The farmer freed him, and he began to run happily around again.
Dartmoor has 1,000 or so ponies, who play a critical role in creating the diversity of species in this area. Many people are working hard to preserve these ponies, and trying to come up with plans to find a sustainable(可持续的) future for one of Dartmoor’s most financially—troubled elements.
1.Why are tourists asked not to feed the ponies?
A. To protect the tourists from being bitten.
B. To keep the ponies off the petrol station.
C. To avoid putting the ponies in danger.
D. To prevent the ponies from fighting.
2.One of the purposes of the annual pony drift is _________.
A. to feed baby ponies on milk
B. to control the number of ponies
C. to expand the habitat for ponies
D. to sell the ponies at a good price
3.What was the author’s first reaction when he saw a pony roll on its back?
A. He freed it from the trap.
B. He called a protection officer.
C. He worried about it very much.
D. He thought of it as being naughty.
4.What does the author imply about the preservation of Dartmoor’s ponies?
A. It lacks people’s involvement.
B. It costs a large amount of money.
C. It will affect tourism in Dartmoor.
D. It has caused an imbalance of species.
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You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams(1860～1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区)by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson(1907～1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor(1930～present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks(1913～2005)
On December 1,1955，in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil—rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1.What is Jane Addams noted for in history?
A. Her social work. B. Her teaching skills.
C. Her efforts to win a prize. D. Her community background.
2.What was the reason for 0’Connor’s being rejected by the law firm?
A. Her lack of proper training in law. B. Her little work experience in court.
C. The discrimination against women. D. The poor financial conditions.
3.Who made a great contribution to the civil—rights movement in the U. S.?
A. Jane Addams. B. Rachel Carson. C. Sandra Day O’Connor. D. Rosa Parks.
4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?
A. They are highly educated. B. They are truly creative.
C. They are pioneers. D. They are Peace—lovers.
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根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Ecotourism
1. It is a new term in today’s tourism industry. But in an age of growing environmental awareness, it is not too difficult for us to imagine and understand this new form of holiday.
Ecotourism, which is considered as a kind of responsible tourism, is typically defined as travel to places where special and unusual plants, animals and cultural heritages are the main attractions. 2. Therefore, programs concerning the protection of some natural and cultural spots also form a part of ecotourism.
Ecotourism is developing at great speed. According to a recent report by the World Tourism Organization, ecotourism in recent years has enjoyed an annual growth of about 5% worldwide. 3. They include bird watching, hiking, diving, photography and taking part in various kinds of local cultural events.
If you love communing with nature, conserving the environment or improving the lives of people then ecotourism is an excellent way to see new and exciting places. 4. However, it looks like some smaller towns and country areas may well become the new destinations for people to visit tomorrow because they are rich in ecological, cultural and historical resources.
Ecotourism has been gaining increasing recognition and popularity mainly for the relaxing, natural and vivid experience it offers to tourists. People are attracted to nature and long to be close to it. However, a conflict between nature and human beings is unavoidable. 5.
A. The definition of ecotourism is beyond words.
B. It takes ecology and culture into consideration.
C. You may not be very familiar with ‘‘ecotourism’’.
D. More than 80 activities have been listed for ecotourism.
E. People can have great fun enjoying nature through ecotourism.
F. Big cities are still the major places that attract tourists in our society today.
G. How to protect natural resources while taking advantage of them is of great importance.
in my hands and suddenly shopping was a 10.(total) different experience. The cost of items translated into how many hours I needed to work to pay for it.
in my hands and suddenly shopping was a