It’s cool, it’s hot, and everyone is doing it. People talk about it often, and friends tell other friends how good they look. Sound like a fashion? In fact, it’s another trend (流行趋势): “blog”. What’s a blog? A blog is a personal online diary. The word “blogger” means a person who writes diaries online.
Many bloggers are teenagers who log (进入) onto websites to discuss anything in their lives. Many of today’s teenagers are not afraid to openly discuss everything in their lives. Teenagers complain about parents and homework. They share diaries, post songs from the latest bands (乐队) and show pictures of theirs. They write their own poems, say something about their girlfriends or boyfriends and complain to each other or offer support. But mostly they just write down what they do every day.
However, many parents are worried about these young bloggers. Parents see the kids talking about how they got drunk last weekend and how they don’t like studying. They are using language that is surprising to their parents. Besides hearing from their friends, teen bloggers also get messages from strangers. Most of the time, it’s older men asking to meet teenage girls. “These strange men are dangerous for my kids. They sometimes teach my kids bad words,” said Cara Cabral, a mother of two.
Many teenagers and young adults know it’s not safe to use blogs on the Internet. They know they are putting information about themselves in a place they can be seen by anyone. But teenagers are unwilling to give up these new communication tools that have become a way of life for many of them.
【小题1】The word “it” means ________ in the sentence “People talk about it”.

A．the Internet

B．the blog

C．the website

D．talking online

【小题2】Parents think it’s dangerous for their kids to use blogs because _______.

A．their kids use a surprising language

B．their kids talk about how they don’t like studying

C．teen bloggers get messages from strangers

D．their kids talk about their girlfriends or boyfriends

【小题3】Which of the following is NOT true according to (依据) the passage?  

A．It’s easy for teenagers to give up blogging.

B．Many teenagers know it’s not safe to use the blog on the Internet.

C．A blogger’s information about himself can be seen by anyone on the Internet.

D．Most of today’s teenagers aren’t afraid to openly discuss everything in their lives.

It’s interesting that the arrival of snow has a different effect on people in different countries. For some countries it is an important happening to celebrate each year, while for others it is a catastrophe (灾难) or even a wonder.
There are countries between these two extremes (极端) that normally expect snow some time over the winter months, but never receive snow regularly or in the same quantities(数量) every year. Britain is one such country, for which the arrival of snow quite simply creates problems. Within hours of the first snowfall, however light, roads are blocked, trains and buses stop in the middle of traffic. Normal communications are affected as well, telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. Almost within hours, there are also shortages(不足) -- bread, vegetables and other things -- not because all these things can no longer be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are frightened, and go out to store up these commodities (日用品), “just for fear that something bad should happen.”
Why then does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, Austrians and Canadians don’t have such problems. It is simply because there is not enough planning and preparation. We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snow ploughs and machines to spread salt. The reason why a country like Britain does not buy some ploughs is that they are only used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospitals, education or helping the old.
【小题1】According to the writer, Britain is a country____.

A．which has regular snow	B．which is not well prepared for snow
C．for which snow is not a problem	D．for which snow is a wonder

【小题2】The arrival of snow in Britain affects all of the following except____

A．traffic

B．communication

C．food supplies

D．service quality

【小题3】After a few hours’ snowing there are often shortages of food because______

A．shops have closed down	B．people buy as much as they can
C．farmers can’t produce any more	D．people eat more vegetables in winter

【小题4】The first reason that the British don’t buy snow ploughs is that______

A．spreading salt is good enough	B．old people need more money
C．snow ploughs are not used often	D．the hospital is more important

It’s the second time for me to come to Beijing. There are many places of interest in Beijing, such as the Summer Palace, the Great Wall, etc. What’s more, I think great changes have taken place in Beijing. People’s living conditions have improved a lot. Their life is very happy. Almost everyone has a big smile on the face. People in Beijing are in high spirits and hard-working. Children can receive a good education.
But in the past, some children didn’t have enough money to go to school. They often worked for cruel bosses. The bosses didn’t give them enough food. I feel sorry for them. Today people have already lived in tall building, worn beautiful clothes and so on. Life has changed greatly.
【小题1】How many times has the writer been to Beijing?

A．Once

B．Twice

C．Three times

D．four times

【小题2】 People’s living conditions have improved ___________in Beijing.

A．a lot

B．little

C．few

D．slowly

【小题3】Today, our life is __________.

A．very happy

B．very bad

C．very interesting

D．just so-so

【小题4】 People in Beijing work ________.

A．slowly

B．hard

C．happy

D．low spirits

【小题5】In the past, children had _______ education. 

A．enough

B．high

C．good

D．bad

It’s Friday evening. My daughters, 3 and 9, sigh(叹息) when I gently take the iPads away from their laps. One by one, our screens are turned off. We light the candles and sit down to have a big meal.

Most people in our lives know they will not be able to contact us by using computer or moblie  phones for 24 hours. And so it has gone, every week for three years. We call it our “Technology Shabbat(科技安息日)" which lasts from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.

I first understood the importance of disconnecting in 2008, when my father was told that he

had got brain cancer. Some days he would have ony one good hour, and I wasn’t willing to be disturbed when I was with him, so I’d turn off my mobile phone.

Soon after, encouraged by National Day of Unplugging(全国断网断电日) on March 1st, my husband and I decided to unplug for one full day every week.

During our “Technology Shabbats”, time slows. Our Saturdays now feel like mini-vacations. We drive our car or ride our bike. We, with our kids, work in the garden, play board games and cook meals. I feel more balanced. I feel like a better mother, wife and person.

Keeping a balance between the good and the bad of technology is my lasting state. The technology we’ve created makes it possible for us to share knowledge and take in carious ideas all over the world. But the technology also take something away from us. When we stay up late at night linking(连接) from website to website or sending messages or e-mailing, we click again, and again, and again until we’ve overloaded(超负荷的).

When we rush into the time full of high technology, it's necessary for us to pay attention to what we are doing online and when we should go off.

I will always remember the most important thing in my family: “Technology Shabbat".

1. When is “Techtwhgy Shabbat' in the writer's family?

A. Only on Sunday.

B. From sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.

C. Only on Friday.

D. From sunset on Saturday to sunset on Sunday.

2. The writer's family have “Technology Shabbat" every week mainly becausc they hope to ______.

A. save energy 

B. enjoy life together

C. stay away from others

D. follow National Day of Unplugging

3. What do the writers family NOT do during their “Technology Shubbats”?

A. They drive their car or ride bikes for mini-vacations.

B. They light the candles and sit down to have a big meal.

C. They work in the garden, play board games and cook meals.

D. They stay up late at night linking from website to website.

 

It’s interesting that the arrival of snow has a different effect on people in different countries. For some countries it is an important happening to celebrate each year, while for others it is a catastrophe (灾难) or even a wonder.

There are countries between these two extremes (极端) that normally expect snow some time over the winter months, but never receive snow regularly or in the same quantities(数量) every year. Britain is one such country, for which the arrival of snow quite simply creates problems. Within hours of the first snowfall, however light, roads are blocked, trains and buses stop in the middle of traffic. Normal communications are affected as well, telephone calls become difficult and the post immediately takes more time than usual. Almost within hours, there are also shortages(不足) -- bread, vegetables and other things -- not because all these things can no longer be produced or sent to shops, but mainly because people are frightened, and go out to store up these commodities (日用品), “just for fear that something bad should happen.”

Why then does snow have this effect? After all, the Swiss, Austrians and Canadians don’t have such problems. It is simply because there is not enough planning and preparation. We need money to buy equipment to deal with snow and ice. To keep the roads clear, for example, requires snow ploughs and machines to spread salt. The reason why a country like Britain does not buy some ploughs is that they are only used for a few days in any one year, and the money could be more useful in other things such as hospitals, education or helping the old.

1.According to the writer, Britain is a country____.

A．which has regular snow                   B．which is not well prepared for snow

C．for which snow is not a problem            D．for which snow is a wonder

2.The arrival of snow in Britain affects all of the following except____

A．traffic            B．communication     C．food supplies       D．service quality

3.After a few hours’ snowing there are often shortages of food because______

A．shops have closed down                  B．people buy as much as they can

C．farmers can’t produce any more          D．people eat more vegetables in winter

4.The first reason that the British don’t buy snow ploughs is that______

A．spreading salt is good enough              B．old people need more money

C．snow ploughs are not used often            D．the hospital is more important