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Imagine looking at a view of mountaintops and wondering about the name of each peak. Suddenly, above each mountaintop, a name appears on the sky. The words are not written in smoke by skywriting planes. The words are actually not in the sky at all. They come from tiny computers in contact lenses (隐形眼镜).
Computers have become smaller and smaller over the decades. The first computers filled houses. Transistors (晶体管) and then chips allowed computers to become small enough to fit on a desktop, then a laptop, and finally a phone. When experimenting with further contraction in size, developers often have to deal with the limits of human eyesight, which control how small the computers can be and still present visible information.
One new solution employs microprojectors (微型投影机) to create a readable display (显示) for tiny computers. These machines project computer information onto any surface. Though an impressive breakthrough, there are potential problems. Such public displays can lead to privacy concerns; most people do not want their information displayed on a wall for everyone to see. Besides, these projectors are extremely expensive, and their screens give users headaches.
Babak Parviz, a researcher at the University of Washington, created another solution: inventing a screen visible only to a person wearing a contact lens. Parviz created a computer in a contact lens that uses the wearer’s field of vision as the display. To create the display, Parviz took ordinary soft contact lenses with a wirelessly controlled system. At some point, Parviz says, it will be possible to connect the lens to a remote personal computer device such as a cellphone or a laptop. By looking in a certain direction, the wearer sends the computer visual information about what he or she sees. The device then uses this information to point out the names of peaks.
These contact lenses are inserted and removed in much the same way as ordinary contact lenses. In addition, the computers in the lenses won’t block the wearer’s sight at all. Although now the computers are not on lenses treating eyesight problems, Parviz hopes that someday the technology will progress to that level.
1.The contact lenses in the text can ________.
A.treat eyesight problems B.offer beautiful views of nature
C.project information on wall surface D.show information about what wearers see
2.The underlined word “contraction” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by________.
A.expansion B.spread
C.reduction D.revolution
3.According to Paragraph 3, the microprojectors ________.
A.put people’s privacy at risk B.save computer information
C.cause serious illnesses D.support users’ needs
4.According to the passage, these contact lenses contribute to ________.
A.saving users’ expenses B.reducing computers’ size
C.limiting the field of vision D.guarding remote computers
5.What might be the best title for the passage?
A.Tiny Computers, Amazing Sights B.Smaller Lenses, Closer Views
C.Progress towards Clearness D.Road to the Small World
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Look out of the window of your workplace. Is the view pleasing? Can you see trees and grassy areas, or rubbish bins? Do you enjoy leaving the building at lunchtime or would you rather stay in your office?
Indoor work environments (in particular factors like light, noise and temperature) have an effect on working quality. Attractive offices, with common areas and relaxing activities, will appeal to businesses and workers. If a positive office indoor environment helps, it makes sense that a nice outdoor one should do the job, too.
Those who work in a big city are complaining about crowded conditions, surrounded by busy roads. But there are exceptions. Chiswick Park in west London is the kind of area that local people like to frequent on their days off. It has its own waterfall and lake, where ducks have settled, and there are tree-shaded lawns where one can picnic on sunny summer days. The actively minded can head for a special area to play basketball or football. The autumn brings firework shows and when the weather is good, the site holds food fairs, concerts or other events.
During the week, however, 9,000 people flood into the park’s 12 office buildings. They are home to 73 businesses, including big companies like Paramount and Sony.
Anyone who has visited the main office of a tech company will be surprised to find comfortable chairs, pool tables and even guitars or bikes for hire, like those in a big hotel. The worry about such services is that they aim to keep employees in the office for as long as possible. If you can eat, go to the gym and even get your dry cleaning done at work, why go home?
The danger, as with many aspects of the future economy, is of another class divide. In addition to fat pay checks, well-decorated offices with top-class services located in attractive parks for the fortunate few who program for big tech groups or run large companies; dissatisfying jobs in “satisfying centers” and busy roads outside for the rest. On the bright side, office workers in the latter will at least still have a reason to head home.
1.Why does the writer raise those questions in paragraph 1?
A.To encourage readers to find answers all by themselves.
B.To point out the trouble in improving working conditions.
C.To attract readers’ attention to the topic of the article.
D.To remind readers to share their comfortable offices.
2.What is special about Chriswick Park?
A.It is regarded as local people’s favorite park.
B.Indoor events and ball games can be held here.
C.Its unique natural beauty is beyond compare.
D.Employees enjoy a pleasing environment here.
3.What is the problem with the satisfying offices?
A.Employees are eager to give up family life for work.
B.Employees feel superior to those in regular offices.
C.Employees get cheated into working with less salary.
D.Employees experience differences in social positions.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.An office with a view B.An unusual business park
C.A call for office services D.A new style in decoration
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Can you imagine being a billionaire at the age of 21? Entrepreneur (企业家), social media star and model Kylie Jenner has done just that. According to the business magazine Forbes, Ms Jenner has become the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. She is so successful that she became a billionaire two years younger than Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. She made the majority of her fortune from her best-selling cosmetics (化妆品) business Kylie Cosmetics, which she started at the age of 15. She founded and owns the beauty company, which is estimated to be worth around $900 million.
Kylie Jenner was born in August 1997. She got into business at a young age. When she was 14, she created a line of clothing for a fashion brand. A year later, she launched her own cosmetics line called Kylie Lip Kits, which transformed into Kylie Cosmetics.
Jenner has been on TV screens since she was 10. Time magazine listed her as one of the most influential teens in the world. Today, Ms Jenner also has successful careers as a model, TV reality show star and social media personality.
When the magazine first reported last summer that Jenner would take over the title, she was met with debate from critics who argued over whether her success was “self-made” or merely because of being born into an already famous and wealthy family.
“I can't say I’ve done it by myself. I don’t have any inherited (通过继承得到的) money, but I have had a lot of help and a huge platform,” Jenner told Forbes when talking about her billionaire status. “I didn't expect anything. I did not foresee the future. But the recognition feels really good. That’s a nice pat on the back.”
1.Where was the majority of Kylie Jenner’s wealth from?
A.Her family. B.Social media.
C.Her modelling career. D.Her cosmetics business.
2.What did Kylie Jenner do in 2012?
A.She started her own cosmetics business.
B.She created a line of clothing for a fashion brand.
C.She began her career as a model and social media star.
D.She became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.
3.What did critics argue about?
A.Whether Kylie Jenner was really that wealthy.
B.Whether Kylie Jenner would achieve greater success.
C.Whether Kylie Jenner succeeded in life all on her own.
D.Whether Kylie Jenner was among the most influential teens in the world.
4.What does the underlined phrase “a nice pat on the back” probably mean?
A.A huge challenge. B.A great encouragement.
C.An accurate prediction. D.A special requirement.
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Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there．
Sounds unusual, doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high-speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe．
China is negotiating(谈判) to extend its own high-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 1 0 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore．
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe．
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Beijing in under two days．The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes．
China’s bullet train(高速列车), the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the World’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours．
Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge(轨距), maintenance(保养) of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail. But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion．
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital（资本的）investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development．
It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries．
For China，such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west．We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions，where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’ll trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries．
1.China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because________．
A. China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions
B. China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways
C. China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries
D. the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism
2.According to the passage，the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is________．
A. technical issues B. safety of the system
C. financial problems D. maintenance of railway tracks
3.Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude
towards China’s high-speed railway plan?
A. Critical． B. Reserved． C. Doubtful D. Positive．
4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. New Railway Standards B. Big Railway Dreams
C. High-speed Bullet Trains D. International Railway Network
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Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there．
Sounds unusual, doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high-speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe．
China is negotiating(谈判) to extend its own high-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 1 0 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore．
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe．
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Beijing in under two days．The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes．
China’s bullet train(高速列车), the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the World’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours．
Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge(轨距), maintenance(保养) of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail. But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion．
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital（资本的）investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development．
It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries．
For China，such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west．We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions，where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’ll trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries．
1. China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because________．
A. China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions
B. China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways
C. China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries
D. the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism
2. According to the passage，the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is________．
A. technical issues B. safety of the system
C. financial problems D. maintenance of railway tracks
3.Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude
towards China’s high-speed railway plan?
A. Critical． B. Reserved． C. Doubtful D. Positive．
4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. New Railway Standards B. Big Railway Dreams
C. High-speed Bullet Trains D. International Railway Network
-
Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there.
Sounds unusual, doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic, with the development of China's high-speed railway system. And that's not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe. China is negotiating to extend its own high-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 10 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore.
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe. The new system would still follow China's high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes. Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge(轨距), maintenance of railway tracks. But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion.
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development. It'll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries.
For China, such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China's far west. We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions, where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they'll trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries.
1.According to the passage, the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is ________.
A. technical issues B. safety of the system
C. financial problems D. maintenance of railway tracks
2.China's new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because ________.
A. China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions
B. China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways
C. China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries
D. the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism
3.Which of the following words best describes the author's attitude towards China's high-speed railway plan?
A. Critical. B. Reserved. C. Doubtful. D. Positive.
4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. New Railway Standards B. Big Railway Dreams
C. High-speed Bullet Trains D. International Railway Network
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Imagine, one day, getting out of bed in Beijing and being at your office in Shanghai in only a couple of hours, and then, after a full day of work, going back home to Beijing and having dinner there.
Sounds unusual, doesn't it? But it's not that unrealistic, with the development of China’s high-speed railway system. And that’s not all. China has an even greater high-speed railway plan— to connect the country with Southeast Asia, and eventually Eastern Europe.
China is negotiating to extend its own high-speed railway network to up to 17 countries in 10 to 15 years, eventually reaching London and Singapore.
China has proposed three such projects. The first would possibly connect Kunming with Singapore via Vietnam and Malaysia. Another could start in Urumqi and go through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and possibly to Germany. The third would start in the northeast and go north through Russia and then into Western Europe.
If China’s plan for the high-speed railway goes forward, people could zip over from London to Beijing in under two days.
The new system would still follow China’s high-speed railway standard. And the trains would be able to go 346 kilometers an hour, almost as fast as some airplanes.
China’s bullet train (高速客车), the one connecting Wuhan to Guangzhou, already has the world’s fastest average speed. It covers 1,069 kilometers in about three hours.
Of course, there are some technical challenges to overcome. There are so many issues that need to be settled, such as safety, rail gauge (轨距), maintenance of railway tracks. So, it’s important to pay attention to every detail.
But the key issue is really money. China is already spending hundreds of billions of yuan on domestic railway expansion.
China prefers that the other countries pay in natural resources rather than with capital investment. Resources from those countries could stream into China to sustain development.
It’ll be a win-win project. For other countries, the railway network will definitely create more opportunities for business, tourism and so on, not to mention the better communication among those countries.
For China, such a project would not only connect it with the rest of Asia and bring some much-needed resources, but would also help develop China’s far west. We foresee that in the coming decades, millions of people will migrate to the western regions, where the land is empty and resources unused. With high-speed trains, people will set up factories and business centers in the west once and for all. And they’ll trade with Central Asian and Eastern European countries.
1.China’s new high-speed railway plan will be a win-win project because _______.
A．China will get much-needed resources and develop its western regions
B．China and the countries involved will benefit from the project in various ways
C．China will develop its railway system and communication with other countries
D．the foreign countries involved will develop their railway transportation, business and tourism
2.According to the passage, the greatest challenge to the new high-speed railway plan is _______.
A．technical issues B．safety of the system
C．financial problems D．maintenance of railway tracks
3.Which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude towards China’s high-speed railway plan?
A．Critical. B．Reserved. C．Doubtful D．Positive.
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Imagine this: you are twenty-one years old and a promising graduate student at one of the top universities in the world. One day, your doctor tells you that you have an incurable disease and may not have more than twelve months to live. How would you feel? What would you do? Here is what Stephen Hawking thought:
（There did not seem) much point in working on my PhD-I did not expect to survive that long. Yet two years had gone by and I was not that much worse. In fact, things were going rather well for me and I had got engaged to a very nice girl, Jane Wilde. But in order to get married, I needed a job,and in order to get a job, I needed a PhD.
Instead of giving up, Hawking went on with his research, got his PhD and married Jane. Nor did he let the disease stop him from living the kind of life he had always dreamt of. He continued his exploration of the universe and travelled around the world to give lectures. As his disease has disabled him, Hawking has to sit in his now-famous wheelchair and speak through a computer. He talked about his theories and thoughts on some of the greatest questions: What is time, how did the universe begin,and what exactly are black holes?
Hawking became famous in the early 1970s, when he and American Roger Penrose made new discoveries about the Big Bang and black holes. Since then, Hawking has continued to seek answers to questions about the nature of the universe. In 1988, he wrote A Brief History of Time, which quickly became a best-seller. Readers were pleased and surprised to find that a scientist could write about his work in a way that ordinary people could understand. The book sold more than 5.5 million copies in 33 different languages.
1.According to the quote in paragraph 2, when was Stephen Hawking told about his disease?
A.Twelve months earlier. B.When he was getting married.
C.Two years earlier. D.When he met Jane Wilde.
2.Why did Stephen Hawking think: “There did not seem much point in working on my PhD?”
A.Because there was no point in being a PhD. B.Because he thought he would die soon.
C.Because there was no hope of being PhD. D.Because he had no place to work.
3.What made Hawking known to the world in 1970s?
A.His book A Brief History of Time. B.His discovery about the Big Bang and black hole.
C.His fighting against the disease. D.His lectures to university students.
4.What can we learn from Steven Hawking?
A.Where there is a will,there is a way. B.Every road leads to Rome.
C.Practice makes perfect. D.Better late than never.
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Wonder of the Natural World
When I arrived, it was early morning and it was raining. I looked to the east—the sky was becoming grey. I got out of the car, went through a gate and walked along a dark path. There was nothing to see, but I knew it was there.
After about a mile, a stranger appeared beside the path. “Am I going the right way?” I asked. He knew where I was going. “Yes,” he replied. “you’ll get there in five minutes.” Finally, I came to some rocks and stopped. I looked over them, but it was silent and there was no sign of it.
Suddenly, the rain stopped and the clouds cleared. The sun rose behind me and shone on the rocks. Far below me, the ground fell away and down to a river. I was looking across one of the wonders of the natural world –the Grand Canyon.
I looked down to the Colorado River, a silver stream nearly one mile below me. If you put the two tallest buildings in the world on top of each other at the bottom of the canyon, they still would not reach the top. Then I looked across to the other side of the canyon. It was about fifteen miles away, maybe more. Finally, I looked to my left and to my right, and on both sides the canyon went far away for more than 200 miles. The Grand Canyon was not just big. It was huge!
I remained by the canyon for about half an hour, and I asked myself, “Is the Grand Canyon the greatest wonder of the natural world?” I certainly know the answer. What do you think?
1.Where does the passage most probably come from?
A. A magazine B. A grammar book C. A dictionary D. A storybook
2.Why was there nothing to see?
A. Because there was nothing B. Because it was too dark
C. Because it was raining D. Because it was in the morning
3.Which direction was the writer facing while he/she was looking over the Grand Canyon?
A. South B. North C. East D. West
4.What is the writer’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To give facts about the natural world.
B. To say how he feels about the natural world.
C. To tell an interesting story about the Grand Canyon.
D. To tell us an article.
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From the health point of view we are living in a wonderful age. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the unbelievable killing of people on the roads. Man is opposite to the motor-car! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people are killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering-wheel(方向盘), his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man's worst character. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They are rude, ill-mannered and aggressive. All their hidden frustrations and disappointments seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.
The surprising thing is that society smiles on the motorist and seems to forgive the behavior. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities and towns are made ugly by huge car parks.
It is high time a world law were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are not strict and even the strictest are not strict enough. A law which was universally accepted could only have a beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some things that might be done. The driving test should be made to a fixed standard and far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21 ; all vehicles should be put through strict annual tests for safety. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be made much stricter. Driving speed should be limited on all roads. These measures may sound rather severe. But surely nothing should be considered difficult if it results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.
1.The main idea of this passage is______.
A. traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists
B. only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents
C. thousands of people in the world are killed each year
D. the laws of some countries about driving are too strict
2.Which of the following is right according to the passage?
A. It is right to build huge car parks in cities and towns.
B. Society ignores their rude driving.
C. Working by car can save time and money.
D. All the drivers must be asked to take a test every year.
3.Why does the author say" his car becomes the extension of his personality" ?
A. Driving can show his temper.
B. Driving can bring out his good character.
C. Driving can make a man excited and joyful.
D. Driving can show his real self.
4.The attitude of the author is______.
A. critical B. approving C. selfish D. determined