1、 Whaley got the idea of this second-grade presidential campaign project when he asked the children one day to raise their hands if they thought they could never be a president. The answer broke his heart. Whaley says the project is about more than just learning to read and speak in public. He wants
2、these kids to learn to boast (夸耀)about themselves. “Boasting about yourself, and your best qualities,” Whaley says, “is very difficult for a child who came into the classroom not feeling confident. ”1. What made Chris nervous?A. Telling a story.B. Making a speech.C. Taking a test.D. Answering a ques
3、tion.2. What does the underlined word “stumbles” in Paragraph 2 refer to?A. Silly jokes. B. Bad manners.C. Spelling mistakes. D. Improper pauses.3. We can infer that the purpose of Whaleys project is to .A. inspire students love for politicsB. prepare students for their future jobsC. help students s
4、ee their own strengthsD. assess students public speaking skills4. Which of the following best describes Whaley as a teacher?A. Humorous. B. Ambitious.C. Caring. D. Demanding.2、The face of the four US presidents on Mount Rushmore will likely last for centuries.But at a newly opened exhibit in Japan,y
5、ou can catch them only for about eight months. This year, the annual sand sculpture event at the Sand Museum in Tottori (鸟取县),Japan,is focused on another country. This is the 10th anniversary of the event. Artists came from 19 countries to shape sand into different sculptures that represent events i
6、n US history and American landmarks. Tottori is a remote city in western Japan. In the past, not many tourists traveled to it. To attract more visitors,Tot tori officials decided to use a natural resource: sand They decided to create a sand museum that would house a series of sand sculptures based o
7、n different geographic areas of the world. The sand from each years exhibition is used again the next year. The project has been a success. About 500,000 people visit the museum during the eight months. Some return year after year to see the new sculptures. The city is now a popular spot for sand sc
8、ulpture artists too. Sculptors from around the world come to Tottori each spring, spending a few weeks working on their masterpieces. They use special tools to smooth the sandy surfaces, cut angles and details. They use only sand and water to create the huge sculptures, some of which tower over thei
9、r creators. Originally, the artists built their creations outside. But the works lasted less than two months outdoors. So the museum built a permanent structure to house the artworks, which extended their life to eight months. Now many more tourists get to see the sculptures. Still, the fact that th
10、is art is not permanent is part of the appeal. The temporary sculptures reflect the Japanese value of appreciating the fleeting(短暂的) nature of the world. Tottori is not the only Japanese town that shows temporary art like this. Sapporo,in northern Japan, hosts a similar exhibit in the winter, using
11、snow instead of sand That will be just about the time that the US sand sculpture exhibition is taken apart, and the sand is saved for next years show.1. Why is sand sculpture event held every year in Tottori?A. To show the wonderful artworks of the city.B. To show the diverse culture of the city.C.
12、To represent the character of the city.D. To attract more visitors to the city.2. What does the underlined word “tower” in Paragraph 3 mean?A. Be huger. B. Be higher.C. Be heavier. D. Be nicer.3. What do the exhibits in Tottori and Sapporo show?A. The changing seasons offer artists chances to create
13、 arts.B. Artists are always inspired by the nature of the world.C. Natural works of art are popular all over the world.D. The sand is more popular to artists than the snow.4. What is the best title of this passage?A. The Popularity of SandB. Celebrating World in SandC. A Special Sand ExhibitionD. Ar
14、tists Contribution to the World3、Preparing Cities for Robot CarsThe possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurists dream, years away from materializing in the real world. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in
15、 April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars, and for companies to operate driverless taxi services. California, it should be noted,isnt leading the way here. Companies have been testing their
16、 vehicles in cities across the country. Its hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated
17、. While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars (and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverle
18、ss vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared. Do we want to copyor even worsen the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. They tolerate long, slow journeys to and from wo
19、rk on packed highways because they can work, entertain themselves or sleep on the ride, which encourages urban spread. They take their driverless car to an appointment and set the empty vehicle to circle the building to avoid paying for parking. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or
20、the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transportan unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing(叫车) services. A study from the University of California at Davis suggested that replacing petrol-powered priva
21、te cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could reduce carbon emissions from transportation 80% and cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基础设施) and operations 40% by 2050. Fewer emissions and cheaper travel sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available drive
22、rless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(责任与维护问题).But driverless car ownership could increase as the prices drop and more people become comfortable with the technology. Policymake
23、rs should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesnt extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed
24、 to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.1. According to the author, attention should be paid to how driverless cars can .A. help deal with transportation-related problemsB. provide better services to customersC. cause damage to our envi
25、ronmentD. make some people lose jobs2. As for driverless cars, what is the authors major concern?A. Safety.B. Side effects.C. Management.D. Affordability.3. What does the underlined word fielded in Paragraph 4 probably mean?A. Employed. B. Replaced.C. Shared. D. Reduced.4. What is the author s attit
26、ude to the future of self-driving cars?A. Doubtful. B. Sympathetic.C. Disapproving. D. Positive.4、A Very Endangered Species Less Than 2,000 in the WildAccording to the census(普查)of 2014,there are only 1,864 giant pandas alive in the wild. It is one of the rarest and most endangered species in the wo
27、rld Thus the giant panda was selected and used as the symbol of the WWP since its formation in 1861.The Size of a Giant Panda A wild giant panda measures 75 centimeters tall and 1. 5 meters long on average. A wild panda generally weighs about 60-73 kilograms, with the largest recorded 110 kilograms.
28、 Males are about 1/6 larger than females. Pandas in the zoos are bigger,and can weigh up to 150 kilograms.Giant Pandas Lifestyle Low Stress and Solitude Giant pandas spend most of their time eating, resting, or seeking food They are alone most of the time. Males and females only meet during the breeding season in spring. Giant pandas prefer shallow slopes and solitary living. They use scent markers to avoid one another.Where Do Giant Pandas Live? Giant pandas live
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