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And then there were nine
The past two decades have seen astronomers’ catalogue of planets expand over two hundred times, as new techniques and better telescopes have found more than 2,000 of them orbiting stars other than the sun. But in the solar system itself, the list of planets has actually shrunk, Pluto（冥王星）having been downgraded from that status in 2006. The number of the sun’s planetary companions has thus fallen from nine to eight.
Now, a pair of astronomers from the California Institute of Technology think they have evidence that will restore the sun’s record to its previous value. Their analysis of objects orbiting in the Kuiper Belt（柯伊伯带）, a ring of frozen asteroids（小行星）that circle beyond the orbit of Neptune (and of which Pluto is now regarded as the largest member), suggests to them that something about ten times as massive as Earth has changed those orbits. If you knew where to look, this planet-sized object would be visible through a suitable telescope. And Konstanin Batygin and Michael Brown believe they do know.
As they write in the Astronomical journal, they have analyzed the orbits of Kuiper Belt objects and found six that behave in a peculiar way. As the diagram shows, the points of closest approach of these objects to the sun, known as their perihelia（近日点）, almost coincide. Moreover, these perihelia all lie near the ecliptic（黄道）---the plane of Earth’s orbit and also, approximately, that of the other planets---while the objects’ orbits are all angled at 30° below the ecliptic. The chance of all this being a coincidence, the two researchers estimate, is about seven in 100,000. If it is not a coincidence, it suggests the six objects have been guided into their orbits by the gravitational intervention of something much larger.
A computer analysis Dr Batygin and Dr Brown performed suggests this something is a planet weighing 5-15 times as much as Earth, whose perihelion is on the opposite side of the sun from the cluster, and which thus orbits mainly on the other side of the solar system from the objects its orbit has affected. This planet’s perihelion would be 200 times farther from the sun than Earth’s, and the far end of its orbit might be as much as six times that distance away. This gives a search zone, and Dr Batygin and Dr Brown are using Subaru, a Japanese telescope, to perform that search.
Given other demands on Subaru’s time, it might take five years for this search to find (or not find) the hypothetical planet. But looking at some existing data from. The Widefield Infrared Survey Explore, a satellite, might also show it, if it is there to be seen.
Ironically, it was Dr Brown as much as anyone who was responsible for Pluto’s downgrading, for he discovered Eris, an object almost as big as Pluto, in 2005.
That discovery did much to damage Pluto's planetary proof. By his own admission, he was skeptical that the anomalies he and Dr Batygin have investigated actually would point to the existence of a replacement ninth planet. He is a skeptic no longer. Whether he is actually right may soon become apparent.
1.According to Dr Batygin and Dr Brown’s research, it is quite possible that ________.
A. Pluto will restore its status as a planet of the solar system
B. the six objects in the Kuiper Belt sharing some similarities is a mere coincidence
C. there are nine planets in the solar system
D. Eris is a replacement ninth planet of the solar system
2.Which of the following is NOT true about the hypothetical planet?
A. It may have changed the orbits of six objects in the Kuiper Belt.
B. You can see it through a domestic telescope if you know where to look.
C. Compared to earth, the distance from its perihelion to the sun is about 200 times larger.
D. A satellite may be able to provide some evidence of its existence.
3.What does the underlined word anomalies stand for?
A. Six objects behaving in a peculiar way.
B. Pluto’s downgrading.
C. The discovery of Eris.
D. Some existing data.
4.The purpose of the third paragraph is to ________.
A. explain why the scientists believe there is an unfound planet
B. show how the scientists analyze the orbits of Kuiper Belt objects
C. tell us that the perihelia of the six objects almost coincide
D. introduce the two scientists’ article in the Astronomical Journal
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Over the past few decades, more and more countries have opened up their markets, increasingly____the world economy into one free-flowing global market. The question is: Is economic globalization ____ for all?
According to the World Bank, one of its chief supporters, economic globalization has helped reduce ______ in a large number of developing countries. It quotes one study that shows increased wealth ____ to improved education and longer life in twenty-four developing countries as a result of integration (融合）of local economies into the world economy. Home to ____ three billion people, these twenty-four countries have seen incomes ______ at an average rate of five percent ____ to two percent in developed countries.
Those who _____ globalization claim that economies in developing countries will benefit from new opportunities for small and home-based businesses. ______ , small farmers in Brazil who produce nuts that would originally have sold only in ____ open-air markets can now promote their goods worldwide by the Internet.
Critics take a different view, believing that economic globalization is actually ____ gap between the rich and poor. A study ____ by the U.N.-sponsored World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization shows that only a few developing countries have actually ____ from integration（融合）into the world economy and that the poor, the uneducated, unskilled workers, and native peoples have been left behind. _____ , they maintain that globalization may eventually threaten emerging businesses. For example, Indian craftsmen who currently seem to benefit from globalization because they are able to __ their products may soon face fierce competition that could put them out of ____ When large-scale manufacturers start to produce the same goods, or when superstores like Wal-Mart ____ , these small businesses will not be able to _____ and will be crowded out.
One thing is certain about Globalization—there is no ______ . Advances in technology combined with more open policies have already created an interconnected world. The ______ now is finding a way to create a kind of globalization that works for the benefit of all.
1.A. transforming B. translating C. transporting D. transiting
2.A. possible B. smooth C. good D. easy
3.A. crime B. poverty C. conflict D. population
4.A. contributing B. responding C. turning D. owing
5.A. or so B. some C. certain D. only
6.A. remain B. drop C. shift D. increase
7.A. connected B. contrary C. compared D. competing
8.A. doubt B. define C. advocate D. ignore
9.A. In addition B. For instance C. In other words D. All in all
10.A. mature B. new C. local D. foreign
11.A. finding B. exploring C. bridging D. widening
12.A. conducted B. carried C. got D. missed
13.A. suffered B. profited C. learned D. withdrawn
14.A. Furthermore B. Therefore C. However D. Otherwise
15.A. consume B. deliver C. export D. advertise
16.A. trouble B. business C. power D. mind
17.A. go B. leave for C. stop D. move in
18.A. keep up B. come in C. go around D. help out
19.A. taking off B. getting alone C. holding out D. turning back
20.A. agreement B. prediction C. outcome D. challenge
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In the past, man did not have to think about protection of the environment. There were very few people on the earth, and natural resources seemed to be unlimited.
Today things are different. The world has become too crowded. We are using up our natural resources too quickly, and at the same time we are polluting our environment with dangerous chemicals. If we continue to do this, human life on the earth will not survive.
Everyone realizes today that if too many fish are taken from the sea, there will soon be none left. Yet, with modern fishing methods, more and more fish are caught. We know that if too many trees are cut down, forests will disappear and nothing will grow on land. Yet, we continue to use more powerful machines to cut down more and more trees.
We realize that if rivers are polluted with waste products from factories, we will die. However, in most countries waste is still put into rivers, but there are few laws to stop this.
We also know that if the population of the countries in the world is to rise at the present rate in a few years, there will not be enough food.
What can we do to solve these problems?
If we eat more vegetables and less meat, there will be more food available for everyone. Land that is used to grow crops can feed five times more people than land where animals are kept.
Our natural resources will last longer if we learn to recycle them.
The world population will not rise so quickly if people use modern methods of birth control.
Finally, if all of us think about the problem, we will have a better and cleaner planet in the future.
1.This passage mainly tells us about ______.
A. the problems we are facing today about environment and the ways to solve them
B. the unlimited natural resources in the world
C. our rivers are being polluted by waste from factories
D. the ways early man protected the environment
2. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. If we eat more vegetables, more food can be saved.
B. In the past, there was no need for people to think about environmental protection.
C. If we keep on cutting trees, forests will disappear.
D. We shouldn’t take more and more fish out of the sea, or there will soon be no fish left.
3.What is implied (暗示) in the passage?
A. Man is cleverer than any other animal.
B. Man will destroy himself if he doesn’t solve the problem.
C. Modern fishing methods are helpful in our fishing industry.
D. We should make more laws in order to survive.
4.From the passage we can see that the world’s natural resources ______.
A. will never be used up B. are being polluted
C. are as plentiful as in the past D. are being used up very quickly
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In the past, man did not have to think about the protection of his environment. There were few people on the earth, and natural resources（资源） seemed to be 26 .
Today things are 27 , the world has become too 28 . We are using up our natural resources too quickly, and at the same time we are 29 our environment with dangerous chemicals. If we continue to do this, human life on the earth will not 30 .
Everyone 31 today that if too many fish are taken from the sea, there will soon be none left. Yet, with modern fishing 32 , more and more fish are caught. We know that if too many trees are cut down, 33 will disappear and nothing will grow on the land. Yet, we 34 to use bigger and more powerful machines to 35 more and more trees.
We realize that if rivers are polluted with waste products from factories, we will die. ___36, in most countries wastes are 37put into rivers or into the sea, and there are 38 laws to stop this. We know, too, that if the 39 of the world continues to rise at the present rate, in a few years there will not be enough food. What can we do to 40 these problems ?
If we eat more vegetables and less 41 , there will be more food available for everyone. Land that is used to grow crops 42 five times more people than land where animals are kept. Our natural resources will 43 longer if we learn to recycle them. The world population will not rise so quickly if people use modern methods of birth 44 .
Finally, if we educate people to think about the problems, we shall have a better and cleaner 45 in the future.
1. A. beautiful B. unlimited C. rare D. valuable
2.A. common B. the same C. changeable D. different
3.A. crowded B. small C. dirty D. busy
4.A. protecting B. saving C. polluting D. fighting
5.A. breathe B. survive C. drink D. move
6.A. wonders B. realizes C. considers D. discovers
7.A. poles B. boats C. methods D. ideas
8.A. mountains B. the sea C. trees D. forests
9.A. continue B. stop C. keep D. go on
10.A. grow B. plant C. save D. cut down
11.A. Thus B. However C. But D. Therefore
12.A. still B. even C. also D. certainly
13.A. too many B. a few C. some D. few
14.A. production B. pollution C. population D. pronunciation
15.A. work B. deal C. solve D. serve
16.A. fruit B. meat C. fish D. grain
17.A. feeds B. increases C. supplies D. helps
18.A. use B. stay C. keep D. last
19.A. control B. born C. plan D. reward
20.A. nature B. sea C. planet D. forest
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In the past two decades，the Chinese economy has undergone many reforms in an effort to compete more effectively on the international market.These reforms included allowing foreign banks to offer credit cards to Chinese citizens.Now，researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) have found about 30 percent of Chinese urban households now own at least one credit card and the growth rate of credit card adoption has been an average of 40 percent per year between 2004 and 2009.
Rui Yao，an assistant professor of personal financial planning at MU，says that this large growth in such a small amount of time has positive and negative implications for the Chinese economy.
''With more and more people taking advantage of credit cards in China，it certainly increases potential consumer buying power，''Yao said.'' However，we found that more than 90 percent of credit card users were unaware of safety issues existing in credit card use and more than 60 percent had little knowledge of the consequences of credit card debt.This lack of knowledge could create problems as credit card ownership is expected to grow at a rate of 11 percent a year. ''
Yao found that while 72 percent of Chinese credit card holders were never late on their payment，only 55 percent were able to pay the full balance.She also found that 70 percent of Chinese credit card holders said that credit cards contributed to overspending.
Yao believes the Chinese could benefit from financial education designed to help them plan for their financial future and encouraging the Chinese to take advantage of debt in a responsible fashion is important for the Chinese economy. ''Appropriate use of debt can help households improve their quality of life as well as spur economic growth through an increase in market purchases'' Yao said.
1.Why did China allow foreign banks to offer credit cards to Chinese citizens?
A.To increase Chinese citizens’ confidence in economy.
B.To respond to the urgent demand for financial reforms.
C.To improve competitiveness in the international market.
D.To persuade more Chinese citizens to accept credit cards.
2.What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 3?
A.The potential market purchases in the future.
B.Weaknesses caused by lack of knowledge of credit cards.
C.The rapid growth in credit card ownership.
D.Advantages and disadvantages of using credit cards.
3.A lot of figures are used in the text in order to________.
A.record the valuable data B.provide concrete evidence
C.introduce a research method D.give a detailed description
4.The underlined word ''spur'' in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to ''________''.
A.control B.delay
C.promote D.discourage
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1.He p_______ for a little while and then went on with his work.
2.He _______ to（作证）having seen the man enter the building.
3.We are sorry to d_______ you here on a Sunday afternoon.
4.Sound waves will _______(反射) back from a solid surface.
5.He refused to say anything not r_______ to the present question.
6.Everyone in the class is expected to p_______ actively in the discussion.
7.To tell you the truth, I am ________ (渴望）to go abroad to live.
8.Madame Curie is usually a________ to be one of the most outstanding scientists.
9.The parents decided to _______（放弃）the plan of travelling to Beijing.
10.Having retired from business, he now o________ himself with the welfare of the disabled.
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单词拼写
1.He stood on the stage to give a speech， r_____ to his notes now and then．
2.There were over 500 athletes p_____ in the marathon last month．
3.A good laugh can drive away n_____ feelings like depression， nervousness， anxiety and disappointment．
4.Much to our surprise， the witness's a_____ of the traffic accident differed from the official version in several aspects．
5.Parents should take the responsibility to educate their kids how to b_____ themselves in some formal occasions．
6.I am living with my parents， but it is only _____(临时的) because next month I will go abroad．
7.In the future I'll be more _____(成熟) and be able to make my own decisions and do things by myself．
8.The boy tried his best to study hard to live up to his parents' _____(期望)．
9.You're actually already in _____(拥有) of one of your most important gifts： time．
10.A large sum of money has been _____(分配) for buying new books for the school．
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“Any time! Any where! Decades ago there was no such thing” – “Communication”.
Then, September 7th 1987, the global system for mobile communication or GSM was born. And international agreements that laid out the standards, regulations and practices gave rise to a global mobile phone industry.
To be honest, the world’s first mobiles were not so attractive and the range of effectiveness wasn’t very good. But they became a must-have among those wealthy people who could afford that. However, by advantage of GSM which has many different elements to it, we can all enjoy the ability to go around the world in 217 countries, land in that country and know that a phone would work.
There are other cell phone systems using different technology in the world. The majority of the United States and parts of South America have been using something called CDMA which is very rare in Europe. In some Asian countries like China, GSM and CDMA both exist at the same time. But the GSM Association claims 85% of the global mobile phone market. They estimated there are now about 2.5 billion different users who make more than 7 trillion minutes of calls everyday, and that’s not all.
20 years later, the mobile phone is so much more than just a phone. You can use it to send text messages, take pictures, show video, even surf the internet.
“The phone itself is involved from just being a communication tool, to be a tool for round-the-clock connectivity, you can not live without it even in a minute.” Mobile consultant Nick Lane also points out with so many customized styles and features, your mobile phone will become a symbol of you.
Where will the global mobile phone industry be in another 20 years? Certainly, there will be more connections than better coverage. As for where else technology will take us, one can only imagine.
1. According the passage, we can know that GSM is ____________.
A. a global-used mobile phone B. a global mobile phone industry
C. a global mobile phone association D. a global mobile communication system
2.From this passage, we can infer that ____________.
A. as soon as the first mobiles appeared, they became popular and many people have one
B. with a GSM mobile phone, you can make a phone call in most parts of the USA
C. there are only two cell phone systems in the whole world: GSM and CDMA
D. most of the mobile phone users in the world now are using the GSM mobile phone
3. By pointing out “your mobile phone will become a symbol of you”, what does Nick Lane want to tell us about the mobile phone in the future?
A. You can have a mobile phone with the unique look and functions as you like.
B. Others can find us without any difficulties if we carry our mobile phone.
C. The mobile phone can be used as a permit when you enter some places.
D. The mobile phone we carry can show others how wealthy we are.
4. What does the writer feel about the GSM development in the following 20 years?
A. Satisfied. B. Worried. C.Confident D. Confused.
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短文改错
Time flies! This is a third year that I have been in this school．In the past two and a half years, our school had organized many activities．What impressed me best was an activity called “Learning to Farm”．In an autumn afternoon, we were sent to a farm which we learned to plant potatoes．Having been in the city for so a long time, we were so happy to go to the countryside．After divided into 3 groups, we started to work．Some students cut potatoes into pieces; some dug holes, and the others put the pieces into the hole, put the earth back and pushed them down hard．We continued doing that until all the work was done．Although we were exhausted, but we felt happy on our way back home．
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One there were two 1. (mouse), a city mouse and a country mouse. They were distant relatives. One day the city mouse, who lived in a big house wrote a letter to the country mouse inviting him for a visit.
Delighted, the country mouse accepted the 2. (invite) and came to the city mouse’s house. He was greeted by the city mouse cheerfully. The country mouse was 3. (excite) how big the house was. The city mouse was pleased 4. led the country mouse to the kitchen. When 5. climbed up the table, there were a large piece of bread, fruit and cheese 6. it. But just as they began to eat, they heard 7. great noise. The city mouse cried, “Run! Run! The cat is coming!” They 8. (run) away quickly and hid.
9. (breathe) heavily after hiding in the mouse-hole, the country mouse said to the city mouse, “I should go back to my house in the country. Even if I eat nothing but beans, I can live 10. (peace). Why don’t you come with me to the country? It is nicer to be poor and happy than to be rich and afraid.”