单选题Britain"s Solo Sailor Ellen MacArthur started sailing when she was eight, going out oil sailing trips with her aunt. She loved it so much that she saved her money for three years to buy her first small sailing boat. When she was 18, she sailed alone around Britain and won the "Young Sailor of the Year" award. But Ellen really became famous in 2001. Aged only 24, she was one of only two women who entered the Vendee Globe round the world solo race, which lasts 100 days. Despite many problems, she came second in the race out of 24 competitors and she was given a very warm welcome when she returned. Ambition and determination have always been a big part of Ellen"s personality. When she was younger, she lived in a kind of hut (棚屋) for three years while she was trying to get sponsorship to compete in a transatlantic race. Then she took a one-way ticked to France, bought a tiny seven meter Class Mini yacht, slept under it while she was repairing it, and then she raced it 4,000 kilometers across the Atlantic in 1997, alone for 33 days. Ellen has had to learn many things, because sailing single-handed means that she has to be her own captain, electrician, sail maker, engineer, doctor, journalist, cameraman and cook. She also has to be very fit, and because of the dangers of sleeping for long periods of time when she"s in the middle of the ocean. She has trained herself to sleep for about 20 minutes at a time. And she needs courage. Once, in the middle of the ocean, she had to climb the mast (桅杆) of a boat to repair the sails-at four o"clock in the morning, with 100 kph winds blowing around her. It took her many hours to make the repairs. Ellen says: "I was exhausted when I came down. It"s hard to describe how it feels to be up there. It"s like trying to hold onto a big pole, which for me is just too big to get my arms around, with someone kicking you all the time and trying to shake you off." But in her diary, Ellen also describes moments which make it all worthwhile (值得的): "A beautiful sunrise started the day, with black clouds slowly lit by the bright yellow sun. I have a very strong feeling of pleasure, being out here on the ocean and having the chance to live this. I just feel lucky to be here."

单选题His Own Way to Express Love Yesterday was our three—year anniversary. We didn"t do anything romantic; we just walked hand in hand and talked about our past and the future. This was pretty much what I had expected. Andy is an unromantic guy: no sweet words or roses. Smart as he is, he is a little bit shy expressing his love. In contrast, I am an outspoken (直言不讳) girl who likes to show her feelings directly. So needless to say, I often feel that he is insensitive. I envy other girls who are surrounded by sweet words. I was in this sullen mood until I heard a beautiful sentence one day: "If one does not love you in the way you like, it does not mean that he does not love you." This simple but sensible sentence made me think about our happy days and recall his deep concern for me. One cold winter night, I got a high fever. He hurried to my dormitory and took me to the hospital. He was in such a hurry that he even forgot to wear socks. After arrival, he ran through the hospital handling all the formalities (手续). When I was put on a drip (点滴), he told me interesting stories to make me happy. Being held in his warm arms and listening to his tender (温柔的) voice, I had never felt so safe and comfortable. Gradually, I fell asleep. When I woke up 15 minutes later, he was still mumbling (咕哝地说) to me. He explained that if he had stopped talking I would have woken up. At that moment, I found love in his eyes. Another time, I had a bad quarrel with my best friend. Although I knew it was my fault, I refused to admit it. I was angry when he insisted I apologize to her. He said that it was difficult to admit a mistake, but this was what everyone should do. The next morning, I apologized to my friend and asked for her forgiveness. My unromantic boyfriend cares about my health like my father, understands me like my mother and helps me like my elder brother.

单选题The sea was calm and still.A. quiteB. quietC. yetD. rough

单选题He has a very outgoing Upersonality/U and makes Mends very easily.

单选题I {{U}}seldom{{/U}} watch TV. A. rarely B. frequently C. normally D. occasionally

单选题She was sent a box of chocolates along with a letter saying she was Ufired/U.

单选题Technology Transfer in Germany When it comes to translating basic research into industrial success, few nations can match Germany. Since the 1940s, the nation's vast industrial base has been fed with a constant stream of new ideas and expertise from science. And though German prosperity (繁荣) has faltered (衰退) over the past decade because of the huge cost of unifying east and west as well as the global economic decline, it still has an enviable record for turning ideas into profit. Much of the reason for that success is the Fraunhofer Society, a network of research institutes that exists solely to solve industrial problems and create sought-after technologies. But today the Fraunhofer institutes have competition. Universities are taking an ever larger role in technology transfer, and technology parks are springing up all over. These efforts are being complemented by the federal programmes for pumping money into start-up companies. Such a strategy may sound like a recipe for economic success, but it is not without its critics. These people worry that favouring applied research will mean neglecting basic science, eventually starving industry of fresh ideas. If every scientist starts thinking like an entrepreneur (企业家), the argument goes, then the traditional principles of university research being curiosity-driven, free and widely available will suffer. Others claim that many of the programmes to promote technology transfer are a waste of money because half the small businesses that are promoted are bound to go bankrupt within a few years. While this debate continues, new ideas flow at a steady rate from Germany's research networks, which bear famous names such as Helmholtz, Max Planck and Leibniz. Yet it is the fourth network, the Fraunhofer Society, that plays the greatest role in technology transfer. Founded in 1949, the Fraunhofer Society is now Europe's largest organisation for applied technology, and has 59 institutes employing 12, 000 people. It continues to grow. Last year, it swallowed up the Heinrich Hertz Institute for Communication Technology in Berlin. Today, there are even Fraunhofers in the U. S. and Asia.

单选题The English first attempted to settle in Maine at the {{U}}mouth{{/U}} of the Kennebec River in 1607.

单选题I like George; he is so down-to-earth.A. practicalB. friendlyC. amusingD. honest

单选题It is said that Joe comes from a wealthy family.A. poorB. largeC. richD. happy

单选题{{B}}第二篇{{/B}} {{B}}Shrinking Water Supply Poses Threat to Peace{{/B}} "Water, which is essential for life, costs nothing. On the other hand, diamonds, which are essential for nothing, cost a lot." Unfortunately, the world has changed considerably since an 18th century economist made this remark. What was true over 200 years ago is certainly no longer true now, in a number of countries people pay as much for water in their homes as they do for electricity. Like health, we ignore water when we have it — unless there are floods, of course. Once there is a threat to our water supply, however, water can quickly become the only thing that matters. We know only too well that, without water, there can be no life. The situation is now becoming so bad that environmentalist feel it may be necessary to shock the world into saving water in a similar way to the shock caused by the oil crises in the 1970s. At that time, the oil crisis became such a serious threat to the lives of everyone in the developed countries that it made people conscious of the importance of saving oil and provided powerful encouragement for governments to look for other forms of energy. The result undoubtedly was of major benefit to energy conservation. There is now no longer and unlimited supply of fresh water. About 97 per cent of the planet's water is seawater. Another 2 per cent is locked in icecaps and glaciers. There are also reserves of fresh water under the earth's surface but these are too deep for us to use economically. Unfortunately, competition is growing fiercely for what little water is available. It may be a matter of time before that competition becomes a conflict. To make matters worse, the world's population is increasing so rapidly that it is expected to grow to about 8 billion in 30 years — an increase of 60 per cent. Moreover, in many developed countries throughout the would, flush lavatories and washing machines mean the average person now uses 300 litres of water a day compared with 50 at the beginning of the century. At the other extreme, according to the World Health Organization, one qu0rter of the world's population still lacks safe drinking water and proper sanitation. Most live in the southern hemisphere, where supplies of fresh water are put in jeopardy through dirty industrial practices, poor irrigation and erosion. The social stability of the world is no longer threatened by global wars, the Cold War, ... However, the supply of water could soon become the chief threat to such stability. There is already evidence of this happening, especially in Africa. Recently the Egyptian Government threatened 'to destroy any dams built on the Nile if they considered the dams would affect their supply of fresh water. What is required immediately is an awareness of the true value of water and the formation of sensible water conservation strategies. It is also of vital importance to have a consensus on how best to use shared Water resources for the benefit of all the countries in the world as well as an examination of the best methods for the distribution of the world's water.

单选题Smoking Since 1939, numerous studies have been conducted to determine whether smoking is a health hazard. The trend of the evidence has been consistent and indicates that there is a serious health risk. Research teams have conducted studies that show beyond all reasonable doubt that tobacco smoking is associated with a shortened life expectancy. Cigarette smoking is believed by most research workers in this field to be an important factor in the development of cancer of the lungs and cancer of the throat and is believed to be related to cancer of some other organs of the body. Male cigarette smokers have a higher death rate from heart disease than non-smoking males. Female smokers are thought to be less affected because they do not breathe in the smoke so deeply. Apart from statistics, it might be helpful to look at what smoking tobacco does to the human body. Smoke is a mixture of gases, vaporized chemicals, minute particles of ash and other solids. There is also nicotine, which is powerful poison, and black tar. As smoke is breathed in, all those components form deposits on the membranes of the lungs. One point of concentration is where the air tube and bronchus divides. Most lung cancer begins at this point. Filters and low tar tobacco are claimed to make smoking to some extent safer, but they can only slightly reduce, not eliminate the hazards.

单选题Jesse had a good time in his friends' home.

单选题He seems {{U}}bizarre{{/U}} these days. A. unusual B. absent-minded C. crazy D. lunatic

单选题It"s prudent to start any exercise program gradually at first.

单选题The local authorities will take measures to deal with noise pollution in the area. A. power B. control C. learning D. government

单选题By advocating moderate change, they think that they can keep consumer costs low.

单选题Breakfast Studies show that children who eat breakfast do better in school. It doesn"t take much further thought to believe that adults will feel better and perform better at work as well. Whether you work at home, on the farm, at the office, at school, or on the road, it is not a good idea to skip (故意略去) breakfast. If we don"t eat breakfast, we are likely to become tired when our brains and bodies run low on fuel. By mid-morning, a lot of us grab a cup of coffee, or wolf down a sugary candy bar to wake up again. This might work for a few minutes, but by lunchtime we are hungry, bad-tempered, and perhaps our mood might make us a little more likely to make unhealthy choices at lunch. Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day. People who eat breakfast are generally more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Many people believe that they will lose weight if they skip meals, but that isn"t a good idea. The body expects to be refueled a few times a day, so start with a healthy breakfast. A healthy breakfast should contain some protein (蛋白质) and some fiber (纤维). Protein can come from meat, eggs, beans, or soy (大豆). Fiber can be found in whole cereals (谷物), grains or in fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something simple like a hard boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with soy milk.

单选题Scotland: A Land of Wisdom In the 1740s, the famous French philosopher Voltaire said, "We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilization." That"s not a bad advertisement for any country when it comes to attracting people to search for a first-class education. According to the American author Arthur Herman, the Scots invented the modern world itself. He argues that Scottish thinkers and intellectuals worked out many of the most important ideas on which modern life depends—everything from the scientific method to market economics. Their ideas did not just spread among intellectuals, but to those people in business, government and the sciences who actually shaped the Western world. It all started during the period that historians call the Scottish Enlightenment (启蒙运动), which is usually seen as taking place between the years 1740 and 1800. Before that, philosophy was mainly concerned with religion. For the thinkers of the Scottish Enlightenment, the proper study of humanity was mankind itself. Their reasoning was practical. For the philosopher David Hume, humanity was the right subject for philosophy because we can examine human behavior and so find real evidence of how people think and feel. And from that we can make judgments about the societies we live in and make concrete suggestions about how they can be improved for universal benefit. Hume"s enquiry into the nature of knowledge laid the foundations for the scientific method—the pursuit of truth through experiment. His friend and fellow resident of Edinburgh, Adam Smith, famously applied the study of mankind to the ways in which mankind does business. Trade, he argued, was a form of information. In pursuing our own interests through trading in markets, we all come to benefit each other. Smith"s idea has dominated modern views of economics. It also has wide applications. He was one of the philosophers to point out that nations can become rich, free and powerful through peace, trade and invention. Although the Scottish Enlightenment ended a long time ago, the ideas which evolved at that time still underpin (构成……的基础) our theories of human exchange and enquiry. It also exists in Scotland itself in an educational tradition that combines academic excellence with orientation (方向).

单选题It is a {{U}}complicated{{/U}} problem．