The Haitian tsunami gave scientists a chance to find out how well vital and potentially life-saving warning systems were working.
Noaa’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory has developed a warning system that picks up signals of tsunamis directly from the sea-floor.
It is called Dart-the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis. If seismometers(地震儀) detect an earthquake, the Dart buoys(浮標(biāo)) will determine what is happening to sea levels, and whether a big wave might be on the way. This information is then sent via satellite to a central location which can organize an alarm. Within 50 minutes of the Haiti earthquake, this system was able to issue an alarm to other countries in the Caribbean to say that a small tsunami had been caused to start, and that was unlikely to affect them.
Dr Bernard said, “The first 30 minutes following the earthquake, we have to rely on education.” The critical aspects of this are: do you feel the earthquake; do you see the ocean draw down; and do you hear that loud roar? If so, you should run for higher ground.
“But after the first few minutes, it’s crucial that we have the technology—the measurements to avoid unnecessary evacuation(疏散撤離)and tell people when it is safe to return.” Right now, there are 50 of these Dart buoys all over the globe—four of which are in the Caribbean.
Dr Bernard says that, with 75 to 100 buoys worldwide, this system could provide global tsunami warnings within one hour.
“That’s for everywhere we know that tsunamis have happened. If we wanted to go to half an hour detection, we could probably double or multiply by four times that number,” he said.
“In some countries, including Haiti, there may not be enough resources to support a specific tsunami warning centre for something that happens so infrequently.”
He said that this system was relatively inexpensive to fix and operate.
“To get it down to an hour for everywhere affected would cost $50m initial investment and then 10% of that to maintain it,” he said.
“That’s not a terribly expensive system considering the potential savings of lives.”
小題1:In which section would you probably read the passage in a newspaper?
A.Education and Society
B.Culture and Leisure
C.Science and Technology
D.Health and Medicine
小題2: How many buoys would at least be needed for global tsunami warnings within half an hour?
A.150
B.100
C.75
D.50
小題3:Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
A.The system can warn people of the coming of tsunami directly after the earthquake.
B.We can’t escape the danger of tsunami within 30 minutes following the earthquake.
C.Each country can easily afford a tsunami warning centre though it seldom happens.
D.It’s worthwhile to spend money on the warning system for possible savings of lives.
小題4: Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.Tsunami Assessment
B.Earthquake detecting
C.Disaster Warning System
D.Life Saving System

小題1:C
小題1:A
小題1:D
小題1:C

小題1:文章介紹了海嘯預(yù)警系統(tǒng)怎樣拯救人們的,屬于科技領(lǐng)域的文章。選C
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)題:從第五段和第六段的句子:If we wanted to go to half an hour detection, we could probably double or multiply by four times that number,” he said.可知在半小時(shí)內(nèi)至少需要150個(gè)浮標(biāo)。選A
小題1:推理題:從最后一段的句子:“That’s not a terribly expensive system considering the potential savings of lives.”可知花些錢(qián)設(shè)置預(yù)警裝置是值得的,因?yàn)樗鼈兛赡芫热说纳_x
D
小題1:主旨題:從第一段的全文描寫(xiě)可知這是一個(gè)災(zāi)難預(yù)警系統(tǒng)。選C
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Most Americans would have a difficult time telling you, specifically, what the values are which Americans live by. They have never given the matter any thought.
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It is my belief that if foreign visitors really understand how deeply these 13 values are ingrained in Americans, they will then be able to understand 95% of American actions —actions which might otherwise appear “strange,”“ confusing,” or “unbelievable” when evaluated from the perspective (aspect) of the foreigner's own society and its values.
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Beijing has started a battle to get rid of "Chinglish" (Chinese English). The "Language Mandarins" of Beijing have decided that Chinglish is a disease for China's modernizing claim and must be obliterated before the city hosts the Olympic Games in 2008.
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

America, has always had people of many different nationalities and languages. The 1990 census (人口普查) indicates that almost 14% of Americans speak a non-English language at home. Yet only 3% reported that they spoke English “not well” or “not at all ”. That means that slightly more than one out of 10 Americans could be considered bilingual. Besides that, many high school and college students---and even some elementary school students---are required to take a foreign language. Actually, a growing number of Americans are coming to appreciate the benefits of using different languages.
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D.A large majority of American states support the movement.
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Americans eat breakfast and lunch quickly unless it is a social business or family occasion. The evening meal is usually longer and a time for families to gather together. Rushing through daytime meals is part of the fast pace in America. Another reason for rushing through daytime meals is that many people eat in restaurant that are usually crowded with people waiting for a place so that they can be served and return to work at the proper time. So each one hurried to make room for the next person. As there are busy people everywhere, there is a real difference with meals that are eaten in a hurry and those that can be enjoyed slowly with friends.
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C.Why Americans eat in a hurry.
D.Which do meat Americans eat the most slowly.
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A.20thB.19thC.18thD.17th
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

When is the right time to get kids involved in teamwork and what does it mean to be part of a team? There are many great ways to introduce kids to team building. Use team building games and activities to get kids to understand the meaning of being in a team.
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Organize a game of 20 questions for the kids to play while building a team. Draw up a series of cards with different questions on each. Have each child select a card and then ask another question on it casually. It’s a great way for the kids to share and discover common interests. Kids need to be entertained and social when in a large group. This will lighten the mood greatly and help the quieter team members to come out of their shells.
Have the kids sit in a circle or around a table and share their favorite things. Start with something like movies or books and move on to anything from toys to animals. Sharing interests creates discussion. When you share interests with someone, it is easier to relate to them. Kids finally want to be friends with most other kids. Encouraging them to get along socially is always positive. By sharing interests they can form valuable bonds that will serve them as both individuals and as a team.
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B. The game of 20 questions requires kids to answer questions in turn.
The best team game is having the kids sit in a circle.
A reward is the most important part in team activities.
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Coupons to spend
“How did you spend your coupons?”
On their first day back to school, many students in Hangzhou greeted each other this way.
The coupons referred to the 100 yuan coupons each student received form the city government before the Spring Festival holidays. Over 260,000 primary school and middle school students were given coupons. They could use them in local stores and supermarkets, or to see movies and buy books.
The same coupons have also been given to low income families in Hangzhou. Other cities, including Chengdu and Nanjing, also gave coupons to their citizens. More cities are expected to follow their lead.
Why are local governments doing this?
These programmes are all part of a broader effort in China to increase domestic demand in the face of the global financial crisis.
The crisis has seriously affected China’s exports and investments (投資). Many factories in southern cities have been closed down. Some companies are laying off workers or reducing their pay. The stock market and real estate market have been falling.
In a time of financial crisis, people usually respond by saving money. They are uncertain about the future and are afraid that more difficult times may be ahead. Now many people are choosing not to spend money carelessly. Major chain stores have seen a sharp slowdown in sales, analysts say.
But spending keeps an economy healthy. If people don’t spend, there will be too many products in the market. Then shops will stop buying products from factories. When factories receive no orders, they close down. The workers there accordingly lose their jobs. Also, if people don’t spend, the service industry suffers. The total result is that the whole economy breaks down.
Issuing coupons is a practical and effective way to increase domestic demand in the current situation, said Jiang Zengwei, vice-minister of China’s Ministry of Commerce. Hangzhou reported a rise in customers in local markets during Spring Festival holiday.
However, issuing coupons is only a temporary measure. To increase consumers’ confidence, the government needs to establish a sound secure social system in the long term. When people don’t have to worry about education, health care and their pension, they will be more willing to spend instead of saving.
小題1:Why are local governments issuing coupons?
A.To increase domestic demand in the face of the global financial crisis.
B.To enable students to use them in local stores and supermarkets, or to see movies and buy books independently.
C.To help those low income families in the global financial crisis.
D.To show the government’s ability to solve economic problems
小題2:What is NOT the influence that the global financial crisis has brought us?
A.China’s exports and investments have been seriously affected.
B.People begin to spend money without a second thought.
C.Workers are faced with losing jobs and the reduction of the salaries.
D.The active stock market and real estate market have gone.
小題3:What can be inferred from the passage?
A.Issuing coupons is a practical and effective way to increase domestic demand in a long term.
B.The total result of saving money is that the whole economy breaks down.
C.The government may carry out new policies to encourage citizens to be willing to spend in the near future.
D.After issuing the coupons, the local markets have seen a rise in customers during Spring Festival holiday.
小題4:If the government is to print a slogan on the coupons to restore consumers’ confidence, what might be used to promote the idea?
A.Spend now, save later.
B.Spend money like there’s no tomorrow; come on!
C.Spend money like it’s going out of style; let’s do it!
D.Big spender, wise spender.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

  The idea of “l(fā)aw” exists in every culture. All societies have some kind of law to keep order and to control the interactions of people with those around them. The laws of any culture tell people three things: what they can do (their right), what they must do (their duties), and what they may not do. In addition, there are usually specific types of punishment for those who break the law.
Although all societies have laws, not all have the same idea of justice—which is “right” and “wrong” and how “wrong” should be punished. In most Western cultures, it is thought that punishing criminals will prevent them from committing other crimes. Also, it is hoped that the fear of punishment will act as a deterrent(威懾) that prevents other people from committing similar crimes; in other words, people who are considering a life of crime will decide against it because of fear of punishment. In most non-Western cultures, by contrast, punishment is not seen as a deterrent. Instead, great importance is placed on restoring balance in the situation. A thief, for example, may be ordered to return the things he has stolen instead of, as in Western societies, spending time in prison.
Another difference in the concept of justice lies in various societies’ ideas of what laws are. In the West, people consider “l(fā)aws” quite different from “customs”. There is also a great contrast between “sins” (breaking religious laws) and “crimes” (breaking laws of the government). In many non-Western cultures, on the other hand, there is little separation of customs, laws, and religious beliefs; in other cultures, these three may be quite separate from one another, but still very much different from those in the West. For these reasons, an action may be considered a crime in one country, but be socially acceptable in others. For instance, although a thief is viewed as a criminal in much of the world, in a small village where there is considerable communal(公共的) living and sharing of objects, the word thief may have little meaning. Someone who has taken something without asking is simply considered an impolite person.
Most countries have two kinds of law: criminal and civil. People who have been accused of acts such as murder or theft are heard in the criminal justice system, while civil justice deals with people who are believed to have violated others’ rights. The use of the civil system reflects the values of the society in which it exists. In the United States where personal, individual justice is considered very important, civil law has become “big business.” There are over 600,000 lawyers in the United States, and many of them keep busy with civil lawsuits; that is, they work for people who want to sue others. If a man falls over a torn rug in a hotel and breaks his arm, for instance, he might decide to sue the hotel owners so that they will pay his medical costs. In a country like Japan, by contrast, there is very little use of the civil justice system. Lawsuits are not very popular in Japan, where social harmony is even more important than individual rights, and where people would rather reach agreement outside court.
小題1: The main point of paragraph 1 is that____.
A.a(chǎn)ll societies, Western or non-Western, have some kind of law to keep order.
B.most countries in the world have two kinds of law “criminal and civil ”
C.there are usually specific types of punishment for those who break the law.
D.the laws of any culture dictate people’s rights, duties and what they are not supposed to do
小題2: Which is TRUE in most Western cultures?
A.Punishment has double functions.
B.A thief may be referred to as an impolite person.
C.Punishment is not regarded as a deterrent.
D.There is lots of communal living and sharing of objects.
小題3:Which statement is NOT true according to the article?
A.In the West, people think laws and customs are rather different.
B.In the West, there is little difference between “sins” and “crimes”.
C.An action that is considered a crime in one country may be socially acceptable in another.
D.There is far less use of the civil justice system in Japan than in the United States.
小題4:Which of the following cases are not heard in the criminal justice system?
A.Robbing a pedestrian.B.Kidnapping people for ransom.
C.Breaking into a bank.D.Failing to pay back the money.

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