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Stuck on a desert island?
Started on 23rd April by Steve Posts 1 – 7 of 42
Post 1 Steve USA	Hi, everyone. What would you miss most and least if you were stuck on a desert island? For me, it would be the changing seasons in New England. I guess this will sound stupid but I’d probably miss the rain, too. I wouldn’t miss getting up at six every day to go to work, though! What about you?
Post 2 Tomas Germany	Good question. Steve, I think I’d miss different types of bread, and shopping at the supermarket. I’d miss the food most. What would I miss least? My mobile phone---I’d like to be completely quiet --- at least for a little while
Post 3 Paola Italy	I would miss the company of people because I know I’d like to have someone to share experiences with. I’d go mad on my own. And I sure wouldn’t miss junk mail(垃圾郵件) --- I hate coming home every evening and a pile of junk mail in my post box.
Post 4 Miko Japan	Hi, I would miss Manga cartoon, the Internet and Japanese food, like sushi. I’d also miss TV shows and shopping for clothes…
Post 5 Roger UK	I would miss my daily newspaper and listening to the news on TV and radio. I’d feel very cut off if I didn’t know what was happening in the world. What I’d miss least would be traffic jams in the city, particularly my journey to work.
Past 6 Jayne	Why hasn’t anyone mentioned their family? I’d be lost without my husband and two kids. They’re the most important for me. And I can’t get started in the morning without a cup of black coffee. I wouldn’t miss doing the housework!
Post 7 Jaime Mexico	It would have to be music. I couldn’t live without my music. I wouldn’t miss going to school at all or doing homework!

【小題1】 Who would miss his or her family most?

A．Jaime

B．Jayne

C．Miko

D．Paola.

【小題2】Which of the following people would feel most uncomfortable without the news media?

A．Steve.

B．Jaime

C．Roger.

D．Tomas

【小題3】How many of them mentioned that they would miss food or drink?

A．One

B．Two

C．Three

D．Four

Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills(風車) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(碾碎) wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher cost. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.
【小題1】 From the text we know that windmills________.

A．were invented by European armies

B．have a history of more than 2,800 years

C．used to supply power to radio in remote areas

D．have rarely been used since electricity was discovered

【小題2】What was a new use for wind power in the late 19^th century?

A．Sailing a boat.	B．Producing electricity.
C．Grinding wheat into flour.	D．Pumping water from underground.

【小題3】One of the reasons wind was rediscovered in the 1970s is that_______.

A．wind power is cleaner

B．it is one of the oldest power sources.

C．it was cheaper to create energy from wind

D．the supply of coal and gas failed to meet needs

【小題4】 What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?

A．The advantages of wind power.

B．The design of wind power plants.

C．The worldwide movement to save energy.

D．The global trend towards producing power from wind.

How to be Prepared
Electricity, water, gas and telephone may not be working after an earthquake. The police and fire department are likely to be tied up. You should be prepared to take care of yourself for at least three days, preferably for a week.
This list can also be applied to other disasters, such as floods or wildfires.
1. food and water (a gallon a day per person)
2. a first aid kit
3. a fire extinguisher suitable for all types of fires
4. flashlights, a portable radio extra batteries
5. blankets, clothes, shoes and money (ATMs may not work)
6. baby and pet food
It’s also a good idea to decide beforehand how and where your family will reunite if separated during a quake and to conduct in-home practice drills.
During an Earthquake
If you are indoors, stay there. Get under and hold onto a desk or table, or stand against an interior wall. Stay away from exterior walls, glass, heavy furniture, and stay away from windows and outside walls and do not use the elevator.
If you are outside, get into the open, stay into the open, stay away from buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you.
If you are driving, move the car out of traffic and stop, avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses, Try to get clear of trees, light posts, signs and power lines.
If you are in a crowded public place, avoid panicking and do not rush for the exit. Stay low and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.
After an Earthquake
If the phone is working, only use it in case of emergency. Likewise, avoid driving if possible to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles.
Be aware that items may fall out of cupboards or closets when the door is opened, and also that chimneys can be weakened and fall with touch. Check for cracks and damage to the roof and foundation of your home.
Listen to the radio for important information and instructions. Remember that aftershocks, sometimes large enough to cause damage in their own right, generally follow large quakes.
If you leave home, leave a message telling friends and family your location.
【小題1】Which of the following items is unnecessary to prepare before an earthquake？

A．Batteries

B．Cash

C．Medicine

D．Creditcard

【小題2】When an earthquake comes，you should ______. 

A．hideyourselfinthekitchen

B．rushfortheexitimmediately

C．stayawayfromheavyobjects

D．callthepolicerightaway

【小題3】When an earthquake is over，you should______. 

A．driveacartotakeyourfamilytothesafeplace

B．checkthesecurityofyourhome

C．callyourrelativestotellthemyouaresafe

D．clearupthemessassoonaspossible.

【小題4】Which of the following sentences is true according to the passage？ 

A．You’dbettermakeitclearhowandwhereyourfamilywillreuniteifseparatedduringaquakeafterthequakehappens.

B．Ifyouareindoors,getintotheopen.

C．Ifyouareinacrowdedpublicplace,avoidpanickinganddorushfortheexit.

D．Ifthephonestillworks,onlyuseitwhennecessary.

【小題5】What does the underlined word “aftershock ” mean? 

A．Alessseriousquakefollowingalargeearthquakeinthesamearea.

B．Afurtherreactionfollowingtheshockofadeeplydisturbingthing.

C．Amessonehastodealwithafteraterriblething.

D．Aninstructionthegovernmentgivestosolveproblems.

A warm blanket is the ideal sleep aid for a freezing winter night. The right blanket can warm your bones but the wrong one can affect your sleep. I asked experts for advice on picking the perfect blanket for a good night’s sleep. Here’s what they told me.
When it comes to sleep temperature, experts recommend following the principle: not too cold, not too hot, but just right. “People seem to sleep best at temperature between 62 and 70 degrees F,” says Dr. Alice Hoagland. When the surrounding temperature falls too low, it can rouse you from sleep. A good blanket helps drive the coldness away.
At the other extreme, overheating yourself can affect your sleep as well. “Core body temperature typically drops during the first four hour’s of sleep,” says Dr. Hoagland. This decline in body temperature helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.
“In medical care, weighted blankets are one of our most powerful tools for helping people who are anxious, upset, and possibly losing control,” says Dr. Karen Moore. These special blankets are filled with weighted pellets. Weighted blankets are also marketed for general use as an aid to sleep and relaxation. Like a firm hug, weighted blankets help us feel safe.” This is the reason why many people like to sleep under a blanket even in summer.
“If you want to try this type of blanket, the best weight depends on your body size and personal preference. However, 15 to 30 pounds is typical for adults,” Moor says. She adds that weighted blankets are not recommended for those recovering from surgery.
“People can also have serious preferences for a particular blanket,” says Dr. Hoagland. “Regularly using a favorite blanket for sleep can help to develop a conditioned response so that sleep is quicker.” In fact, many sleep centers ask patients to bring their own blanket and pillow from home, which helps them fall asleep more easily.
【小題1】The author wrote the passage mainly to tell us _____.

A．the importance of blankets

B．how to choose the perfect blanket

C．different materials used to make blankets

D．the history and usage of blankets

【小題2】The underlined word “rouse” in Paragraph 2 is the closest in meaning to “______”.

A．wake up

B．take up

C．make up

D．pick up

【小題3】What do we know from the passage?

A．Body temperature rises when we fall asleep

B．The perfect sleep temperature should be above 70 degrees F.

C．Weighted blankets should be at least 30 pounds.

D．People are advised to use their own blankets.

Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills(風車) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(碾碎) wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher cost. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.
【小題1】From the text we know that windmills________.

A．were invented by European armies

B．have a history of more than 2,800 years

C．used to supply power to radio in remote areas

D．have rarely been used since electricity was discovered

【小題2】What was a new use for wind power in the late 19^th century?

A．Sailing a boat.

B．Producing electricity.

C．Grinding wheat into flour.

D．Pumping water from underground.

【小題3】One of the reasons wind was rediscovered in the 1970s is that_______.

A．wind power is cleaner

B．it is one of the oldest power sources.

C．it was cheaper to create energy from wind

D．the supply of coal and gas failed to meet needs

【小題4】What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?

A．The advantages of wind power.

B．The design of wind power plants.

C．The worldwide movement to save energy.

D．The global trend towards producing power from wind.

When an ant dies, other ants take it out of the nest, often within an hour after its death. This behavior interests scientists and they wonder how ants know for sure—and so soon—that another ant is dead. 
One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behavior. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist, a scientist who studies animals and plants. He found that ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, “I'm dead—take me away” when it is dead.
But there's a question to answer: As we know, if an ant is dead, it stops moving. But when an ant is sleeping or knocked unconscious, it is also not moving. However, other ants don't move the living ant out of the nest. How do they know this ant is not dead? Choe found that ants have another chemical on their bodies, which tells nearby ants something like, “Wait—I'm not dead yet” when it is not dead. Choe suspects that when an ant dies, the chemical that says, “Wait— I'm not dead yet” quickly goes away. When other ants detect the “dead” chemical without the “not dead yet” chemical, they move away the body.
To test his theory, Choe and his team put different chemicals on ants. When the scientists used the “I'm dead” chemical, other ants quickly moved the treated ant away. When the scientists used the “Wait—I'm not dead yet” chemical, other ants left the treated ant alone. Choe believes this behavior shows that the “not dead yet” chemical is stronger than the “dead” chemical when picked up by other ants. And that when an ant dies, the “not dead yet” chemical fades away. Other nearby ants then detect the remaining “dead” chemical and remove the body from the nest.
Understanding this behavior can help scientists figure out how to stop ants from invading new places and causing problems.
【小題1】What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．Leading the following paragraphs.

B．Showing the main idea of the passage.

C．Introducing the background of the passage.

D．Giving a summary of the passage.

【小題2】What can we learn from the passage?

A．Living ants can also be taken away when they are not moving.

B．When an ant dies, it can tell others using a certain chemical.

C．A living ant can pretend to be dead using a special chemical.

D．Ants often use chemicals to communicate with each other.

【小題3】Which of the following descriptions about Dong-Hwan Choe is right?

A．Choe did this study in order to stop ants from invading new places.

B．Choe is a biologist who is only interested in animals, especially in ants.

C．Choe first came up with an idea to explain this ant behavior, and then did some tests to prove his theory.

D．Choe did the research on this ant behavior on his own.

【小題4】What is mainly discussed in the passage?

A．experiments about how ants manage to keep their nests clean.

B．experiments about why ants have special chemicals on their bodies.

C．experiments about why ants can have this removal behavior

D．experiments about how to decide whether an ant is dead or not.

For thousands of years, mankind has produced plants and animals to create more desired and useful plants and animals. For example, modern com has been produced to such a large size that it is no longer able to reproduce without man’s assistance. Modern dairy cows produce too much milk and if they are not often emptied of milk, they could leak, burst, become infected, and possibly die. Besides, most dogs raised by people can not survive in the wild even with special training.
Since natural evolution is extremely slow and mankind’s selective production programs only take a few generations to produce a completely new species, natural evolution has already taken a back seat to mankind’s production programs. In addition, mankind has successfully killed off several species all together. For example, there are no more European wolves in existence and mammoths (猛犸象) probably died out because of mankind. Even certain diseases have been permanently got rid of from the planet, and dozens of other diseases will soon be too. Again, natural evolution did i»t cause most of the destruction during man’s rule of the world.
Currently, scientists are creating new species with desired characteristics in the lab significantly faster than natural evolution creates new species. In a single generation, new species can be created and destroyed by mankind, while natural evolution could take thousands of years to do the same but only accidentally. Scientists are even able to replace defective (有缺陷的) or damaged genes with different genes to attempt to cure genetic defects. This is something that natural evolution could possibly never correct.
Eventually scientists will even be able to improve the quality of people. For example, imagine not only correcting your eyesight with gene treatment, but also ensuring that all of your children do not receive your old genes of poor eyesight too. Scientists will one day be able to improve the memory and intelligence of your children, so that they will do better in school and achieve more in life. Doctors and scientists will be able to customize (訂制) babies before they are born just like picking options at a car store.
【小題1】According to the first paragraph,______ .
A. man-made evolution has improved all species
B. man-made evolution has weakened some species
C man-made evolution can make up for all natural losses
D. natural evolution won’t happen without man’s assistance
【小題2】What does the underlined part “taken a back seat to” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Become powerful assistance to.  
B. Become a huge barrier to.
C Speeded up the process of.   
D. Played a less important role than.
【小題3】What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?

A．Why natural evolution happens so slowly.

B．The way scientists adopt to have genetic defects repaired.

C．The advantages of man-made evolution over natural evolution.

D．How scientists make use of man-made evolution to create new species.

【小題4】What can we infer from the passage?

A．Near-sighted parents will be able to produce babies with good eyesight in the future.

B．Doctors and scientists will be responsible for mass production of babies in the future.

C．It is natural evolution that is to blame for the destruction of European wolves and mammoths.

D．Children can now have their memory and intelligence improved with the help of gene treatment.

The first newspaper was written by hand and put up on walls in public places. The earliest daily newspaper was started in Rome in 59 BC. In the 700s the world’s first printed newspaper was published. Europe didn’t have a regularly printed newspaper until 1609, when one was started in Germany.
The first regularly published newspaper in English was printed in Amsterdam in 1620. In 1621, an English newspaper was started in London and was published once a week. The first daily English newspaper was the Daily Courant, which came out in March 1702.
In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first American newspaper in Boston .But not long after it was first published, the government stopped the paper. In 1704, John Campbell started the Boston Newspaper, the first newspaper published daily in the American colonies（殖民地）. By 1760, the colonies had more than thirty daily newspapers.There are now about 1, 800 daily papers in the United States.
Today, as a group, newspapers in English have the largest circulation (發(fā)行量)in the world .But the largest circulation for a newspaper is that of the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun . It sells more than eleven million copies every year.
【小題1】The first regularly printed European newspaper started in ________.

A．Rome in 59 BC	B．Germany in 1609
C．Amsterdam in 1620	D．England in 1621

【小題2】The first daily newspaper in English started in _________.

A．1620

B．1621

C．1590

D．1702

【小題3】What does the author want to inform us?

A．History of newspapers

B．History of daily newspapers

C．The beginning of newspapers

D．On reading newspapers

What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in bio-technology(生物技術(shù)). With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time. Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and war. Today’s leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and aging itself, will become distant memories.
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells(細胞) are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond l20 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs ( The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.)
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.
【小題1】According to the passage, human death IS now mainly caused by____.

A．diseases and aging	B．a(chǎn)ccidents and war
C．a(chǎn)ccidents and aging	D．heart disease and war

【小題2】In the author’s opinion, today’s most important advance in technology lies in____.

A．medicine

B．the Internet

C．brain cells

D．human organ

【小題3】Humans may live longer in the future because_____.

A．heart disease will be far away from us

B．human brains can decide the final death

C．the basic materials of cells will last forever

D．human organs can be repaired by new medicine

【小題4】We can learn from the passage that ______.

A．human life will not last more than 120 years in the future

B．humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now

C．much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life

D．we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells

【小題5】What will people in 2113 mainly die of /from?

A．Aging

B．Accidents

C．Cancer

D．Heart disease

How long do you want to live? How many years might be added to a life? Do you want to live another 100 years or more? Some experts say that scientific advances will one day enable humans to last tens of years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life span.（壽命）
“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality(永生) , " said Michael Zey, a Montclair State University business professor and author of two books on the future. "I think by 2075 we will see it and that's a conservative estimate(保守的估計)."
At the conference in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School in Newark said advances in using genes as well as nanotechnology(納米技術(shù)) make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. "There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years," he said. "Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 200 or 300 or 500 years.
However, many scientists who research into ageing are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last past about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say the failure of the brain and organs will finally lead all humans to death.
Scientists also differ on what kind of life the super aged might live. "It remains to be seen if you pass 120,you know, could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life?" said Leonard Poon, director  of the University of Georgia Gerontology Centre. "At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all."
【小題1】By saying "we are knocking at the door of immortality", Michael Zey means ______.

A．they have got some ideas about living forever

B．they are sure to find the truth about long living

C．they believe that there is no limit of living

D．they are able to make people live past the present life span

【小題2】Donald Louria's attitude towards long living is that ______.

A．people can live from 120 to 180

B．it is possible for humans to live longer in the future

C．the human body is designed to last past about 120 years

D．it is still doubtful how long humans can live

【小題3】The underlined word "it"( in Paragraph 4)refers to______.

A．using genes as well as nanotechnology

B．the idea of living beyond the present life span

C．a(chǎn) great push

D．the conservative estimate

【小題4】What would be the best title for this text? 

A．No Limit for Human Life	B．Science, Technology and Long Living
C．Living Longer or Not	D．Healthy Lifestyle and Long Living