The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.
On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth’s atmosphere with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people drowned.
Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the Earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. The sun won’t be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million people remain alive.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?
小题1:What is mainly described in the passage?| A．A historic discovery. | B．An event of imagination. | | C．A research on space. | D．A scientific adventure. |
小题2:When the first piece hits the South Atlantic, it causes .| A．an earthquake | B．damages to cities | | C．an Earth explosion | D．huge waves |
小题3:Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long?| A．Because the land is covered with water. | | B．Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the Earth. | | C．Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero. | | D．Because wars break out among countries. |
小题4:By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove .| A．animals could not live in the cold climate | | B．what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story | | C．the human beings will die out in 2094 | | D．the Earth could be hit by other objects in space |
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小题1:B
小题2:D
小题3:B
小题4:D |
试题分析：文章大意：2094年彗星撞击地球，有两片残核会落在地球的南极洲地区，那将会对地球产生灭顶之灾。这会是真的吗？
小题1:B 主旨大意题。根据第一句话时间是在2094年，最后一段Could it really happen?及Will we meet the same end? 说明本文所描述的事故是想象出来的，即答案选B。
小题2:D推断题。 根据文章第二段The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour.可知，第一片残片撞到南极洲的时候主要引起的是巨大的海浪，所以D正确。
小题3:B 细节题。根据倒数第二段but the north won’t escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. 和The sun won’t be seen again for many years. 可以得出答案选B。
小题4:D 推断题。根据最后一段Could it really happen?又举了恐龙灭绝的例子，作者想以此为例证明地球被撞击的这一想象真的有可能会发生。所以D正确。 |
核心考点
试题【The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Eart】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
There is no doubt that Apple is well aware of the increased competition in the market and could be in a hurry to put another product out there, said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends. Given its history with product launches and business policy, though, Apple probably isn’t going to rush an iPhone release simply to put it on shelves, he said.
“If you’re Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), you’re thinking if you want to pay more attention to how to keep growing that bottom line and keep investors(投资人) happy, or continue with the same approach from Apple, which is do what we can do and manage products and releases in the best way they can work for us. Apple usually does things in their own time, and I’m having a hard time buying this May or June timeline.” Llamas told Mac News World.
While it’s probable that Apple is surely in a testing stage for its next smartphone, consumers likely have a standard wait for the finished product, said Colin Gibbs, analyst at GigaOm Pro.
“It typically takes a year or longer to create a state-of-the-art smartphone, so no one should be surprised Apple is in the testing stages with the next iPhone. And while it’s possible that Apple could launch the next iPhone this spring or summer, I’m not expecting to see it until a little later in the year,” he told Mac News World.
When it does launch, though, it could be in a variety of colors, said Gibbs. “Apple has already tested the waters with releasing colored products when it revamped (更新，翻新）its iPod line last fall, so it is understood that it would want the new change with its smartphone, as well”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the new iPhone becomes available in some new colors,’’ he said. “That could be done pretty cheaply, and it would give Apple a new marketing angle.”
小题1:According to Ramon Llamas, Apple always ______.| A．tries to please its investors | | B．rushes to put new products to market | | C．ignores the fierce market competition | | D．does things as planned |
小题2:As for the next iPhone, Colin Gibbs didn’t mention ______.| A．the stage of its being tested | | B．the rough time of its being released | | C．the function to be improved | | D．the wide variety of its color |
小题3:What’s Colin Gibbs’ attitude towards the next iPhone?| A．Disapproving. | B．Indifferent (漠不关心的). | C．Doubtful. | D．Objective. |
小题4:This passage is presented in the form of ______.| A．stories | B．comments | C．advertisements | D．debates |
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The World"s Largest Insect .This giant insect can be used as a toy.
A child ties one end of a string to a stick and the other end around the "neck" of an insect. Holding the stick, the child lets the insect go. With a loud whirring sound, the insect takes off, pulling the string in a large curve over the child"s head. The child laughs as the stick jumps around. The child is African, and the toy is the African Goliath beetle, the largest insect in the world.
The Goliath is a true insect because it has six legs and a body that is divided into three parts. Like all beetles, it has two pairs of wings. The front pair are thick and stiff and protect the back pair, which are soft. It is these soft back wings that make the beetle fly forward. They also cause the loud whirring sound the beetle makes when it flies. To steer, the beetle twists and turns its legs the same way you steer a bike by turning its front wheel.
African children often use the Goliath beetle as a toy. Although it is over 15 centimeters long, it is quite harmless.
小题1: The African Goliath beetle is _______. | A．the world"s largest insect | | B．a toy used in many parts of the world | | C．the only insect found in Africa | | D．the world"s smallest insect |
小题2:What do African children often use the Goliath beetle as?| A．a tool. | B．a toy. | C．harmfull insects. | D．Good animals. |
小题3:We know the Goliath beetle is a true insect because it _______. | A．makes a whirring sound when it flies | B．has both soft and hard wings | | C．has six legs and a body with three parts | D．can fly |
小题4:When flying, the Goliath steers by_______. | A．turning its soft back wings | | B．twisting and turning its hard front wings | | C．twisting and turning its legs | | D．twisting and turning its whole body |
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This winter, the air quality over the north China plain was so bad that it was actually off the standard scale. The air pollution reached levels that the World Health Organization describes as dangerous. On Thursday, heavy smog blanketed most of northern and eastern China again.
It is reasonable to ask why the air pollution is so bad this winter. Weather conditions and topographic(地形学的) factors have been given as reasons, but, although contributing factors, these are not to blame. The worsening air pollution is linked to an energy mix that relies heavily on coal and to motor vehicle emissions(排放). But despite the astonishing growth of motor vehicles in our cities, it is the burning of coal that is the biggest cause of air pollution. More than half of the country"s power plants are located in the eastern region and China"s coal consumption has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching 3.8 billion tons last year, accounting for almost half the world"s total coal consumption. And with coal occupying nearly 70 percent of the country"s primary energy consumption, it has become critical to reduce the use of coal if we are to solve the nation"s overall air pollution problem.
In the face of the poisonous air recently, one citizen said, "we have nothing but hot air to purify the skies". In fact, the government plans to have 350 billion yuan ($55.67 billion) investment in improving coal-fired facilities and limiting the use of yellow-label cars that do not meet the Euro I emissions standard and so on.
However, it would be far more effective to reduce emissions at the source, which means that the biggest challenge currently facing government departments is saying "no" to the country"s air polluting offenders. According to the Joint Prevention and Control Plan on Air Pollution in Key Regions released recently by the State Council, the amount of coal the nation consumes is set to rise by 30 percent during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan. This is not going to let anyone breathe easier.
This highlights a key problem when it comes to environmental issues in this country - economic development comes first. The fundamental cause of the worsening air pollution is the idea of economic growth at any cost, which has resulted in ever-worsening pollution. And the priority(优先权)given to economic growth presents another problem, namely the failure of existing environmental protection policies and regulations to control pollution. For instance, the current weak regulations covering emissions would suggest there has been a significant reduction in emissions when clearly this is not the case. Also those enterprises found breaking the regulations are still far lower than the cost of treating the pollution they produce. This means even if many large-scale enterprises with lagging production capacity(能力) fail to meet the requirements for environmental protection, the environmental protection department is incapable of shutting these enterprises down or forcing their relocation.
Dealing with air pollution requires taking action at the local level to reduce vehicle emissions and at the regional level to reduce industrial emissions. But it also requires giving more priority to environmental issues in policymaking. Our hope is that the environmental protection department will be truly capable of saying "no" to pollution, and it will raise standards and effectively enforce them, and that governments at all levels will prioritize quality of life not just economic growth.
小题1:The writer mentions the heavy smog in parts of China in Paragraph1 in order to_____.| A．remind people to stay in doors because of the bad air quality | | B．show people’s concern about the priority to economic growth | | C．introduce the issue about the serious air pollution | | D．highlight the importance of government’s policies and regulations |
小题2:Why is it a big challenge for the government to say “no” to the air polluting offenders in China?| A．Because enterprises are encouraged to develop economy at the cost of the environment. | | B．Because much emphasis has been laid on economic growth regardless of the cost. | | C．Because it’s impossible to relocate the enterprises for lack of money. | | D．Because the production capacity of enterprises falls behind the required speed. |
小题3:It can be learned from the passage that the essential reason for the worsening air conditions in China is_______.| A．the sharp growth of coal consumption in recent years | | B．the rapid increase of motor vehicles in cities | | C．the building of power plants in northern China | | D．the poor weather conditions caused by complex geographical factors |
小题4:According to the writer, which of the following is the key to solving the air pollution problem?| A．Giving priority to economic development in policymaking. | | B．Making environment-friendly policies and carrying them out effectively. | | C．Increasing investment in the construction of coal-fired facilities. | | D．Limiting the use of cars not meeting the required emission standard |
小题5:Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?| A．Pessimistic. | B．Convincing. | C．Doubtful. | D．Concerned. |
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A motivational strategy that parents can employ with their kids, is to frame tasks and responsibilities in the context of what the end benefit is for them. I call this strategy WIIFM
(“What’s in it for me?”).
When a teen can combine an understanding of WIIFM with a sense of passion about achieving a goal, barriers will start to fall away. At our teen summer camps, we arrange an event near the end of the 10-day session that helps campers identify an important life goal and mentally break through their biggest barrier to achieving the goal.
We pass around 12-by-12-inch pine boards. We tell campers that this activity is not about breaking a piece of wood. It’s about how you can get what you want in your life. It’s about breaking barriers to grab on to your goals.
They have the power to break through any barrier. It has nothing to do with body size or physical condition. The skinniest, smallest teens will break through the board almost as easily as the big ones.
We talk to the campers about the reasons they might have had for not reaching their goals in the past. Maybe they got lazy and decided it wasn’t worth the effort. Maybe they failed and let their fear of failure hold them back. But this exercise is about putting the past where it belongs. Today is about making new choices.
By this point in the program, we ask them to think of the goal they’ve set for themselves and write their goals on the boards. Then they write the possible obstacles which may hold them back on the opposite sides. An inch of pine now stands between them and their dreams.
The facilitators and their teammates gather around. The support is strong. One by one, they break through the barriers and grab their goals! All around us teens are laughing, crying, hugging, and holding up the broken pieces of their boards. The confidence shown on their faces is beautiful.
While arranging such an activity in one’s home is almost unrealistic for parents, the value of helping a teen break through a personal barrier simply by being there as moral support can not be overestimated. More help for parents in the form of videos and articles is available at our website, in our blogs and in a monthly e-newsletter.
小题1:The 12-by-12-inch pine boards are used as _________________.| A．materials to test one’s muscles | | B．signs of goals in one’s life | | C．assessments to show one’s progress | | D．symbols of barriers in one’s life |
小题2:We can learn from the passage that through the event the campers _________.| A．become hard-working | B．get moral support | | C．gain confidence | D．set right goals |
小题3:Which is the best title for the passage?| A．The Power of WIIFM | B．What’s in It for Me | | C．The Importance of Goals | D．Motivational Strategies |
小题4:The passage is intended for _____________.| A．teens | B．parents | C．campers | D．Tutors |
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Graduation day is a major accomplishment for anyone in high school. After your whole life in classrooms, though, what will be next? For some people, graduation is the time they ever want to see a again. For others, it is the next step in their education. And the few that are not either way yet will most likely either go on to college or go into the military. There are always a few people in every class that don"t know what to do, if you make a good choice, you will not be one of them.
Some of those people that decide that they never want to a classroom again will most likely some sort of simple jobs. Others will either find a way aside from school to better themselves, through travel or giving back to the community.
High school graduates that already have their futures 0ut are pretty rare. They are the who have been preparing for college from the first day that they high school. They most likely applied early to the schools that they were interested and have already dedicated themselves to the career they want. Most of them will become doctors, lawyers, and business people, etc.
The last group of people is the biggest. It is the students who _ know that they want to do something but have no idea what. Some of them will _ the military and proudly serve our country. Others will go on t0 , take basic courses, and then decide what they want to major in. There will be some students even to a technical school to learn a specific that they can contribute to the workforce. is a stepping stone that can lead you on to better things if you will let it.
| 小题1: | | A．costing | B．spending | C．taking | D．paying |
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| 小题2: | | A．last | B．first | C．only | D．special |
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| 小题3: | | A．classmate | B．teacher | C．classroom | D．blackboard |
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| 小题4: | | A．worried | B．afraid | C．glad | D．sure |
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| 小题5: | | A．learning | B．graduating | C．training | D．cooking |
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| 小题7: | | A．notice | B．look | C．watch | D．see |
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| 小题8: | | A．set up | B．turn up | C．take up | D．look up |
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| 小题9: | | A．either | B．neither | C．both | D．all |
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| 小题10: | | A．decided | B．chosen | C．planned | D．realized |
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| 小题11: | | A． parents | B． students | C． teachers | D． friends |
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| 小题12: | | A．retumed | B．reached | C．went | D．entered |
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| 小题16: | | A．join | B．take | C．need | D．attend |
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| 小题17: | | A．factory | B．office | C．shop | D．college |
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| 小题18: | | A．working on | B．going on | C．keeping on | D．tuming on |
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| 小题19: | | A．ability | B．talk | C．skill | D．job |
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| 小题20: | | A．Imagination | B．Education | C．Learning | D．Graduation |
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