英语周报第四期
A
In 1995,Sunsan Boyle went to Glasgow to audition (试演) for My Kind of People, a televised talent show popular in the UK. She was nervous during the audition, and felt she didn’t perform well, but her brother said that she was rejected because of her plain looks. Boyle was not discouraged and continued to sing at church and at the karaoke nights in a local pub.
Boyle suffered a personal loss in 1997, when her father passed away. After his death, Boyle put her big dreams on hold to care for her sick mother Bridget Susan ’s possible fame. Bridget Boyle encouraged her daughter to take part in singing competition. “She was the one who said I should enter Britain’s Got Talent. We used to watch it together, ” Susan later told reporters. “She thought I would win. ”
In 1999,Boyle used all of her savings to pay for a professional demo （样本唱片）tape, which she sent to record companies. In 2002, Boyle began taking singing lessons from voice coach Fred O’Neil.
In 2007,Boyle’s mother passed away at the age of 91.A neighbor reported that when Bridget Boyle died, her daughter “wouldn ’t come out for three of four days or answer the door or phone”. She lived alone with her cat, Pebbles. For over a year, she refused to sing. But in August of 2008, O’Neil urged her to try out for Britain ’s Got Talent. Convinced that the performance would be an honor to her mother, Boyle auditioned in Glasgow, Scotland. She sang I Dreamed A Dream, a hit song from the musical Les Miserables （《悲惨世界》），in the first round of the show, which was aired on 11 April 2009.
The 47-year-old Scottish woman’s plain looks provided a sharp contrast （对比）to her powerfully beautiful voice. The performance astonished the audience and the judges. Online videos of her performance totaled over 40 million views within a week. Although she failed to win the final of Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle became globally popular. Her first album I Dreamed A Dream has sold over five million copies.
26. Bridget Boyle ’s attitude toward her daughter ’s musical talent can be described
as_______.
A. critical
B. doubtful
C. indifferent
D. optimistic
27. From Para.4 we learn that Boyle______.
A. was slightly discouraged by her voice coach
B. entered Britain’s Got Talent to prove her ability
C. decided to give up her singing career
D .was deeply affected by her mother’s death
28. Which of the following is TURE about Susan Boyle?
A. Her international fame grew rapidly in 2008.
B. Her audition for My Kind of People failed.
C. She has never stopped singing since 1995.
D. She was the winner of Britain’s Got Talent.
29. Which of the following inferences makes sense based on the passage?
A. Susan Boyle was convinced by her brother that her plain looks were disadvantageous to her success.
B. It was at the age of forty that Susan Boyle established a student-teacher relationship with O’Neil.
C. Susan Boyle was so struck by her father’s death that she shut herself out from the neighborhood.
D. The online views of Les Miserables numbered over 40 million within a week in 2009.
30. In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to______.
A. tell us how Boyle’s dream came true
B. let us know more about Boyle’s personal life
C. show how Boyle was influenced by her family
D. explain how to enter and win a talent show
B
Rare birds in the UK have been living far better than the more common birds over the last decade due to the efforts of conservation organizations, according to a new assessment.
The research shows almost 60% of the 63 rare birds that live in the UK have increased over the last 10 years.
By contrast, only about one third of common species have increased over the same period. Just 28% of rare birds have decreased over the same period, compared with four out of every 10 common birds. The rare birds described in the assessment with increasing populations include the osprey （鹗）and corncrake (秧鸡).All of these birds are subject to conservation action.
The declining common birds include the nightingale, swift （雨燕），house sparrow and red grouse （苏格兰雷鸟）.These are suffering declines for a variety of reasons, including changes in farming practices.
Dr David Noble, from the British Trust for Ornithology, said: “That some of our rarer birds have responded to targeted conservation action is great news. It shows just what can be achieved. What we need to do now is to continue the good work and use some of the lessons we have learned to help our more common birds.”
Dr Mark Avery, the conservation director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Bird(RSPB),said: “Over the last decade we’ve enjoyed some great conservation species from the World Conservation Union’s Red List of Threatened Animals and increasing the populations of red kite, osprey, etc. However, these successes are countered （抵消） by continued declines of some widespread species.”
The overview of 2010 native birds has been produced by a group of conservation organizations, to mark the publication of The State of the UK ’s Birds report, which
is in its 10 year. The report was published by the RSPB for a group of conservation organizations.
31. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The decline of widespread birds is not worrying for the UK.
B. The UK has got some practical experience of bird conservation.
C. Changes in farming practices contribute to the increase of rare birds.
D. Half of common birds have decreased in the past ten years in the UK.
32. We can learn from the passage that Dr David Noble_____.
A. hopes that conservation organizations will change the way they work
B. is quite disappointed with the result of the new assessment
C. is losing confidence in conservation organisations’ action
D. has high hopes for the increase in bird population in Britain
33. Which of the following can best explain Dr Mark Avery’s words?
A. The UK should not be satisfied with what they have achieved.
B. The UK should share their experience with other countries.
C. What conservation organizations do is far from satisfactory.
D. The RSPB is responsible for the decrease of common birds.
34. The passage is most likely to be found in a book about______.
A. pupular science
B. historical events
C. nature
D. society
35. The author’s purpose of writing this article is to tell people_____.
A. some good ways to protect rare birds
B. the differences between rare birds and common birds
C. the number of rare birds has increased over the last decade
D. some widespread birds in the UK are in great need of help
th
C
There is a joke among flu researchers: “If you ’ve seen one flu season, you ’ve seen one flu season. ” The joke is about the unpredictable nature of the flu virus. Every year it looks different, and every strain (类型) follows its own pattern-it ’s the reason why new strains like H1N1 are extremely difficult to predict.
Dr. Michael Osterholm is a former adviser to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “I know less about influenza today than I did 10 years ago,” he says in a joking away. “Every stone we’ve turned over, we get more questions.”
The flu returns every season and the world experiences terrible pandemics (全国或全世界范围流行的疾病), but researchers still do not understand why some strains infect people and others do not, they are not entirely sure about how the flu is transmitted; nor do they understand why some patients become seriously ill while others develop mild symptoms (症状). As a result, when a new strain shows up-like H1N1-they often have little information to fall back on, and the lessons of previous
pandemics are only somewhat helpful. While researchers are still putting together a complete picture of H1N1, for example, its most striking difference from the seasonal flu is that the elderly are not the most vulnerable (易受攻击的)population.
Influenza ’s unpredictable nature makes it a moving target for researchers, say researcher Allison Aiello at the University of Michigan. “Even if we had complete seasonal flu data from the past, it wouldn’t be much helpful for a new strain of influenza,”she explains.
While researchers are frustrated by the the holes in their knowledge, they say, however, that the public-health community is generally doing a very good job responding to H1N1 with seasons flu data that do exist. Studying influenza, say Osterholm , is “like looking through the windows of house you can ’t get into because the door is locked.” Gathering the data researchers do have is like “looking through the windows to get a pretty good picture of what the inside looks like.”
One thing researchers do know for sure: the best way for people to protect against H1N1 is to get the vaccine once it becomes available to them.
36. What do we learn about H1N1 from the passage?
A. In fact it is not a kind of influenza virus.
B. Its pattern is followed by other strains.
C. Old people are more likely to contract it than
D. Receiving vaccines will be effective to protect against it.
37. H1N1 flu can be described as all the following EXCEPT_____.
A. unpredictable
B. pandemic
C. transmittable
D. movable
38. The underlined phrase “fall back on” in Para.3 probably means____.
A. rely on
B. pass on
C. collect
D. exchange
39. What do we know about previous seasonal flu data?
A. It is useless to study them.
B. It is still necessary to study them.
C. They are misleading most of the time.
D. They are much more helpful than expected.
40. Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
A. Outbreaks of the flu
B. Symptoms of the flu
C. Mysteries of the flu
D. Risks of the flu
D
For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground of the sewer (下水道)system. But if you want to save a little water and reuse it on your
lawns （草坪）or plants-or even use it for laundry, dishes, or other needs-collecting rainwater from your gutters ’ downspouts（檐槽的水落管）is a no-brainer.
According to John C. David, writing in E/The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of water, you can harvest enough to water your lawn or garden.
Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with substances that can hold back plant growth. Using rainwater can also extend the life of pipes, since the salts added to tap water may gradually damage the pipes. However, homeowners should set up a water purification (净化) system if they do plan to use rainwater for inside needs. Rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding, and pollution associated with heavy rainfall, and reduces dependence on public water systems in their local communities.
Many varieties of rain barrel (桶) systems, starting at just $100, are available for home use. A typical setup is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. Skillful homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one is a lot easier. Most garden centers offer a range of choices as well as tips.
41. The underlined word “no-brainer ” in Para.1 probably means something that___.
A. is very easy
B. is hard to deal with
C. deserves more attention
D. is of no real value
42. Compared with rainwater, tap water____.
A. contains less salts
B. is better for plant growth
C. is more likely to damage the pipes
D. can make the life of the pipes last longer
43. The underlined word “it ” in Para.4 refers to _____.
A. heavy rainfall
B. water purification system
C. rainwater harvesting
D. local community
44. From Para.3, we can learn_____.
A. how to set up a water harvesting system
B. how a rain barrel system tap water
C. some advice on saving tap water
D. the benefits of using rainwater
45. What is the topic of passage?
A. Wastewater treatment systems.
B. Roof rainwater collection.
C. Water-saving techniques.
D. Basic gardening skills.
英语周报第四期
A
In 1995,Sunsan Boyle went to Glasgow to audition (试演) for My Kind of People, a televised talent show popular in the UK. She was nervous during the audition, and felt she didn’t perform well, but her brother said that she was rejected because of her plain looks. Boyle was not discouraged and continued to sing at church and at the karaoke nights in a local pub.
Boyle suffered a personal loss in 1997, when her father passed away. After his death, Boyle put her big dreams on hold to care for her sick mother Bridget Susan ’s possible fame. Bridget Boyle encouraged her daughter to take part in singing competition. “She was the one who said I should enter Britain’s Got Talent. We used to watch it together, ” Susan later told reporters. “She thought I would win. ”
In 1999,Boyle used all of her savings to pay for a professional demo （样本唱片）tape, which she sent to record companies. In 2002, Boyle began taking singing lessons from voice coach Fred O’Neil.
In 2007,Boyle’s mother passed away at the age of 91.A neighbor reported that when Bridget Boyle died, her daughter “wouldn ’t come out for three of four days or answer the door or phone”. She lived alone with her cat, Pebbles. For over a year, she refused to sing. But in August of 2008, O’Neil urged her to try out for Britain ’s Got Talent. Convinced that the performance would be an honor to her mother, Boyle auditioned in Glasgow, Scotland. She sang I Dreamed A Dream, a hit song from the musical Les Miserables （《悲惨世界》），in the first round of the show, which was aired on 11 April 2009.
The 47-year-old Scottish woman’s plain looks provided a sharp contrast （对比）to her powerfully beautiful voice. The performance astonished the audience and the judges. Online videos of her performance totaled over 40 million views within a week. Although she failed to win the final of Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle became globally popular. Her first album I Dreamed A Dream has sold over five million copies.
26. Bridget Boyle ’s attitude toward her daughter ’s musical talent can be described
as_______.
A. critical
B. doubtful
C. indifferent
D. optimistic
27. From Para.4 we learn that Boyle______.
A. was slightly discouraged by her voice coach
B. entered Britain’s Got Talent to prove her ability
C. decided to give up her singing career
D .was deeply affected by her mother’s death
28. Which of the following is TURE about Susan Boyle?
A. Her international fame grew rapidly in 2008.
B. Her audition for My Kind of People failed.
C. She has never stopped singing since 1995.
D. She was the winner of Britain’s Got Talent.
29. Which of the following inferences makes sense based on the passage?
A. Susan Boyle was convinced by her brother that her plain looks were disadvantageous to her success.
B. It was at the age of forty that Susan Boyle established a student-teacher relationship with O’Neil.
C. Susan Boyle was so struck by her father’s death that she shut herself out from the neighborhood.
D. The online views of Les Miserables numbered over 40 million within a week in 2009.
30. In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to______.
A. tell us how Boyle’s dream came true
B. let us know more about Boyle’s personal life
C. show how Boyle was influenced by her family
D. explain how to enter and win a talent show
B
Rare birds in the UK have been living far better than the more common birds over the last decade due to the efforts of conservation organizations, according to a new assessment.
The research shows almost 60% of the 63 rare birds that live in the UK have increased over the last 10 years.
By contrast, only about one third of common species have increased over the same period. Just 28% of rare birds have decreased over the same period, compared with four out of every 10 common birds. The rare birds described in the assessment with increasing populations include the osprey （鹗）and corncrake (秧鸡).All of these birds are subject to conservation action.
The declining common birds include the nightingale, swift （雨燕），house sparrow and red grouse （苏格兰雷鸟）.These are suffering declines for a variety of reasons, including changes in farming practices.
Dr David Noble, from the British Trust for Ornithology, said: “That some of our rarer birds have responded to targeted conservation action is great news. It shows just what can be achieved. What we need to do now is to continue the good work and use some of the lessons we have learned to help our more common birds.”
Dr Mark Avery, the conservation director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Bird(RSPB),said: “Over the last decade we’ve enjoyed some great conservation species from the World Conservation Union’s Red List of Threatened Animals and increasing the populations of red kite, osprey, etc. However, these successes are countered （抵消） by continued declines of some widespread species.”
The overview of 2010 native birds has been produced by a group of conservation organizations, to mark the publication of The State of the UK ’s Birds report, which
is in its 10 year. The report was published by the RSPB for a group of conservation organizations.
31. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The decline of widespread birds is not worrying for the UK.
B. The UK has got some practical experience of bird conservation.
C. Changes in farming practices contribute to the increase of rare birds.
D. Half of common birds have decreased in the past ten years in the UK.
32. We can learn from the passage that Dr David Noble_____.
A. hopes that conservation organizations will change the way they work
B. is quite disappointed with the result of the new assessment
C. is losing confidence in conservation organisations’ action
D. has high hopes for the increase in bird population in Britain
33. Which of the following can best explain Dr Mark Avery’s words?
A. The UK should not be satisfied with what they have achieved.
B. The UK should share their experience with other countries.
C. What conservation organizations do is far from satisfactory.
D. The RSPB is responsible for the decrease of common birds.
34. The passage is most likely to be found in a book about______.
A. pupular science
B. historical events
C. nature
D. society
35. The author’s purpose of writing this article is to tell people_____.
A. some good ways to protect rare birds
B. the differences between rare birds and common birds
C. the number of rare birds has increased over the last decade
D. some widespread birds in the UK are in great need of help
th
C
There is a joke among flu researchers: “If you ’ve seen one flu season, you ’ve seen one flu season. ” The joke is about the unpredictable nature of the flu virus. Every year it looks different, and every strain (类型) follows its own pattern-it ’s the reason why new strains like H1N1 are extremely difficult to predict.
Dr. Michael Osterholm is a former adviser to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “I know less about influenza today than I did 10 years ago,” he says in a joking away. “Every stone we’ve turned over, we get more questions.”
The flu returns every season and the world experiences terrible pandemics (全国或全世界范围流行的疾病), but researchers still do not understand why some strains infect people and others do not, they are not entirely sure about how the flu is transmitted; nor do they understand why some patients become seriously ill while others develop mild symptoms (症状). As a result, when a new strain shows up-like H1N1-they often have little information to fall back on, and the lessons of previous
pandemics are only somewhat helpful. While researchers are still putting together a complete picture of H1N1, for example, its most striking difference from the seasonal flu is that the elderly are not the most vulnerable (易受攻击的)population.
Influenza ’s unpredictable nature makes it a moving target for researchers, say researcher Allison Aiello at the University of Michigan. “Even if we had complete seasonal flu data from the past, it wouldn’t be much helpful for a new strain of influenza,”she explains.
While researchers are frustrated by the the holes in their knowledge, they say, however, that the public-health community is generally doing a very good job responding to H1N1 with seasons flu data that do exist. Studying influenza, say Osterholm , is “like looking through the windows of house you can ’t get into because the door is locked.” Gathering the data researchers do have is like “looking through the windows to get a pretty good picture of what the inside looks like.”
One thing researchers do know for sure: the best way for people to protect against H1N1 is to get the vaccine once it becomes available to them.
36. What do we learn about H1N1 from the passage?
A. In fact it is not a kind of influenza virus.
B. Its pattern is followed by other strains.
C. Old people are more likely to contract it than
D. Receiving vaccines will be effective to protect against it.
37. H1N1 flu can be described as all the following EXCEPT_____.
A. unpredictable
B. pandemic
C. transmittable
D. movable
38. The underlined phrase “fall back on” in Para.3 probably means____.
A. rely on
B. pass on
C. collect
D. exchange
39. What do we know about previous seasonal flu data?
A. It is useless to study them.
B. It is still necessary to study them.
C. They are misleading most of the time.
D. They are much more helpful than expected.
40. Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
A. Outbreaks of the flu
B. Symptoms of the flu
C. Mysteries of the flu
D. Risks of the flu
D
For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground of the sewer (下水道)system. But if you want to save a little water and reuse it on your
lawns （草坪）or plants-or even use it for laundry, dishes, or other needs-collecting rainwater from your gutters ’ downspouts（檐槽的水落管）is a no-brainer.
According to John C. David, writing in E/The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of water, you can harvest enough to water your lawn or garden.
Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with substances that can hold back plant growth. Using rainwater can also extend the life of pipes, since the salts added to tap water may gradually damage the pipes. However, homeowners should set up a water purification (净化) system if they do plan to use rainwater for inside needs. Rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding, and pollution associated with heavy rainfall, and reduces dependence on public water systems in their local communities.
Many varieties of rain barrel (桶) systems, starting at just $100, are available for home use. A typical setup is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. Skillful homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one is a lot easier. Most garden centers offer a range of choices as well as tips.
41. The underlined word “no-brainer ” in Para.1 probably means something that___.
A. is very easy
B. is hard to deal with
C. deserves more attention
D. is of no real value
42. Compared with rainwater, tap water____.
A. contains less salts
B. is better for plant growth
C. is more likely to damage the pipes
D. can make the life of the pipes last longer
43. The underlined word “it ” in Para.4 refers to _____.
A. heavy rainfall
B. water purification system
C. rainwater harvesting
D. local community
44. From Para.3, we can learn_____.
A. how to set up a water harvesting system
B. how a rain barrel system tap water
C. some advice on saving tap water
D. the benefits of using rainwater
45. What is the topic of passage?
A. Wastewater treatment systems.
B. Roof rainwater collection.
C. Water-saving techniques.
D. Basic gardening skills.