Few laws are so effective that you can see results just days after they take effect.But in the nine days since the federal cigarette tax more than doubled-to $1.01 per pack-smokers have jammed telephone “quit lines” across the country seeking to kick the habit.
This is not a surprise to public health advocates.They've studied the effect of state tax increases for years,finding that smokers,especially teens,are price sensitive.Nor is it a shock to the industry,which fiercely fights every tax increase.
The only wonder is that so many states insist on closing their ears to the message.Tobacco taxes improve public health,they raise money and most particularly,they deter people from taking up the habit as teens,which is when nearly all smokers are addicted.Yet the rate of taxation varies widely.
In Manhattan,for instance,which has the highest tax in the nation,a pack of Marlboro Light Kings,cost $10.06 at one drugstore Wednesday.In Charleston,S.C.,where the 7 cent a pack tax is the lowest in the nation,the price was $4.78.
The influence is obvious.
In New York,high school smoking hit a new low in the latest surveys-13.8%,far below the national average.By comparison,26% of high school students smoke in Kentucky.Other low tax states have similarly depressing teen smoking records.
Hal Rogers,Representative from Kentucky,like those who are against high tobacco taxes,argues that the burden of the tax falls on low?income Americans “who choose to smoke.”
That's true.But there is more reason in keeping future generations of low?income workers from getting hooked in the first place.As for today's adults,if the new tax drives them to quit,they will have more to spend on their families,cut their risk of cancer and heart disease and feel better.
【小题1】The text is mainly about ________.
A.the price of cigarettes |
B.the rate of teen smoking |
C.the effect of tobacco tax increase |
D.the differences in tobacco tax rate |
A.The new tax will be beneficial in the long run. |
B.Low?income Americans are more likely to fall ill. |
C.Future generations will be hooked on smoking. |
D.Adults will depend more on their families. |
A.tolerance | B.unconcern |
C.doubt | D.sympathy |
A.Teen smokers are price sensitive. |
B.Some states still keep the tobacco tax low. |
C.Tobacco taxes improve public health. |
D.Tobacco industry fiercely fights the tax rise. |
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
PERTH—Search crews will send a submarine(潜航器)deep into the Indian Ocean on Monday for the first time to try to determine whether signals detected by sound-locating equipment are from the missing Malaysian plane's black boxes, the Australian head of the search said.
Angus Houst on said the crew on board the Ocean Shield will send the underwater vehicle sometime Monday evening. The Bluefin 21 submarine can create a sonar(声呐)map of the area to chartany wreckage(残骸)on the seafloor.
The move comes after crews picked up a series of underwater sounds over the past two weeks that were consistent with an aircraft's black boxes.
“We haven’t had a single detection in six days, and l guess it’s time to go under water,” said Houston.
“Analysis of the four signals has reduced the search area on the ocean floor. The experts have therefore determined that the Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield will stop searching with the Towed Pinger Locator(拖曳声波定位仪)later today and use the underwater vehicle Bluefin 21 as soon as possible," he said at a news conference in Perth.
But Houston warned the switch to the submarine will not automatically "result in the detection of the aircraft wreckage. It may not.”
He said the submarine will take 24 hours to do each task, including two hours to dive, 16 hours to search the bottom, then two more hours hack up and four hours to download data.
Recovering the plane's flight data and cockpit(飞行员座舱)voice recorders is necessary For investigators to try to figure out what happened to Flight 370, which disappeared on March 8.
Houston said the search using the submarine will be a slaw and painstaking process.
The submarine takes six times longer to cover the same area as the pinger locator,and will need about six weeks to two months to examine the present underwater zone. The signals are also coming from 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) below the surface, which is the deepest the submarine can dive.
【小题1】The submarine will be sent deep into the Indian Ocean on Monday to _____ .
A.create a sonar trap of the area |
B.pick up underwater sounds |
C.see if the signals detected are from the target black boxes |
D.reduce the search area on the ocean floor |
A.will download data of the black boxes |
B.can find the aircraft wreckage within 24 hours |
C.will recover the plane's flight data and voice recorder |
D.can dive to a depth of no more than 4,500 meters |
A.the switch of the submarine may not function properly |
B.the Ocean Shield will switch to submarine when it is necessary |
C.the submarine will detect the wreckage of the plane automatically |
D.the detection of the wreckage can't be guaranteed by using the submarine |
A.the underwater sounds were consistent with an aircraft's black boxes |
B.the submarine travels slowly and the ocean is deep |
C.they haven't had a single detection in six days |
D.Ocean Shield stops searching wine the towed pinger locator |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
It was reported last week that developers could take photos from Apple mobile and Google Android devices without the phone owners knowing that the images were being taken. In Apple’s case, developers can also obtain the location information for each photo.
Senator(参议员) Charles Schumer said in a telephone interview that his office had spoken with officials at both Apple and Google on Monday.
“We asked them if they could find a way on their own to prevent Apple from having access to private information,” Mr. Schumer said. “They were friendly and open to the idea that this ought to be changed.”
On Sunday, Mr. Schumer said that he planned to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the agency to investigate Apple and Google after the privacy concerns came to light. Claudia Bourne Farrell, an F.T.C. spokeswoman, said the agency had received the letter but she could not comment further.
“It worries people to think that one’s personal photos, address book, and who knows what else can be obtained and even posted online without permission,” Mr. Schumer wrote in his letter to the F.T.C. “If the technology exists to open the door to this kind of privacy invasion, then surely technology exists to close it, and that’s exactly what must happen.”
Mr. Schumer said if Apple and Google could not come to an agreement to fix the problem, then he would be forced to take the issue further.
He said other companies had been willing to work with his office to fix issues. “I’m optimistic that we can get this changed without any regulation,” he said. “If it’s not changed, then we’ll turn to the F.T.C., and if that doesn’t work then we’ll consider legal approach.”
The F.T.C. has warned companies to try to be more vigilant(警醒的) in their efforts to protect consumers when it comes to privacy.
【小题1】The senators spoke with officials at both Apple and Google___________.
A.to urge them not to invade consumers’ privacy |
B.to discuss whether it is illegal to have access to private information |
C.to stop them from developing the technology of taking photos |
D.to keep them from obtaining the location information for each photo |
A.Privacy invasion from Apple has existed for a long time. |
B.Mr. Schumer takes the privacy concerns caused by Apple and Google seriously. |
C.Privacy invasion from Google has existed for a long time. |
D.Apple and Google have decided to make a change. |
A.In a newspaper. | B.In a travel brochure. |
C.In a science report. | D.In a textbook. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Somali pirates(海盗) robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board nearly l,200 Miles off the Somali coast,the farthest-off-shore attack to date,an officer said Tuesday.
Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols(巡逻)by warships off the Somali shore. The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force,said a spokesman.
The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a “marked effect on pirate activity in the area”.
“Once they start attacking that far out,you’re not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia,” said an officer,Roger Middleton. “Once you’re that far out,it's just the Indian Ocean,and it means you’re looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia,from Asia to South Africa.”
"This is the farthest robbing to date. They are now operating near the Maldives and India,” said another officer.
The three ships--the MV Prantalay 11,12,and l 4—had 77 members on board in total.All of them are Thai, the spokesman said. Before the Sunday robbing,pirates held l l ships and 228 sailors.
Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes。f catching more dollar payments. Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships,the success rate(率)has gone down,though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year.
【小题1】 The pirate attack reported in the text happened .
A.far out in the Indian Ocean |
B.in the normal patrol area |
C.near the Somali, coast |
D.in the south of Africa |
A.More goods on board are lost. |
B.Pirate attacks happen in a larger area now. |
C.The number of attacks has stayed the same these years. |
D.Pirate attacks are as serious as before along the Somali coast. |
A.The patrols are of little effect. |
B.The patrols are more difficult. |
C.More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia. |
D.The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas. |
A.228. | B.77. | C.383. | D.305. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
We might not be alone in the universe. Actually, it may be confirmed as a very crowded place by new computer models developed to help identify habitable planets.
Estimates of places where life can exist have been based on the possibility of them having surface water. But software recently developed by the Aberdeen University allows researchers to identify planets with underground water kept liquid by heat from planets.
Water is fundamental for life and planets too close to the sun lose water to the atmosphere through evaporation. On the other hand, planets located in distant reaches from their star have their surface water locked away as ice.
Sean McMahon, who is carrying out the work, explained: "Traditionally people have said that if a planet is in this Goldilocks zone—not too hot and not too cold—then it can have liquid water on its surface and be habitable."
But this concept might change when considering that planets can receive two sources of heat—heat direct from the star and heat generated deep inside the planet.
It is easy to observe it in our own planet. As you go down through the crust (壳) of the Earth, the temperature gets higher and higher. Even when the surface is frozen, water can exist below ground.
There could be immense quantities of water in fact—full of primitive life.
Professor John Parnell, also from Aberdeen University said: "There is a significant habitat for microorganisms below the surface of the Earth, extending down several kilometres".
"And some believe that the majority of life on Earth could even reside in this deep biosphere."
So the Aberdeen team are developing models to predict which distant planets might harbour underground reservoirs of liquid water with the possibility of alien life.
【小题1】What is considered as the symbol of life existence traditionally?
A.Solid water on its surface. | B.Solid water below ground. |
C.Liquid water below ground. | D.Liquid water on its surface. |
A.To prove that there is majority of life on Earth. |
B.To prove that life may also exist in other planets. |
C.To prove that there is primitive life down through Earth. |
D.To prove that there is a habitat for microorganisms below Earth. |
A.Planets can lose water through evaporation. |
B.Planets can receive heat direct from the star. |
C.Planets can have their surface water locked away as ice. |
D.Planets can receive heat generated deep inside the planet. |
A.They will help identify planets where there is life. |
B.They will help researchers find Goldilocks zones. |
C.They have helped find some significant discoveries. |
D.They have already located some habitats for life. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
I was interested to read a newspaper article about a new concept in old people’s homes in France. The idea is simple, but revolutionary——combining a residential home for the elderly with a nursery school in the same building. The children and the residents eat lunch together and share activities. In the afternoons, the residents enjoy reading or telling stories to the children, and if a child is feeling sad or tired, there is always a kind lap to sit on and a cuddle(拥抱). There are trips out and birthday parties too.
The advantages are enormous for everyone concerned. The children are happy because they get a lot more individual attention, and respond well because someone has time for them. They see illness and death and learn to accept them. The residents are happy because they feel useful and needed. They are more active and more interested in life when the children are around and they take more interest in their appearance too.
Nowadays there is less and less contact between the old and the young. There are many reasons for this, including the breakdown of the extended family, working parents with no time to care for aging relations, families that have moved away, and smaller flats with no room for grandparents. But the result is the same——increasing numbers of children without grandparents and old people who have no contact with children. And more old people who are lonely and feel useless, along with more and more families with young children who desperately need more support. It’s a major problem in many societies.
That’s why intergenerational programmes, designed to bring the old and the young together, are growing in popularity all over the world. There are examples of successful attempts all over the world. Using young people to teach IT skills to older people is one obvious example. Using old people as volunteer assistants in schools is another, perhaps reading with children who need extra attention.
【小题1】A nursery school is a place where _______.
A.future nurses are trained |
B.the elderly live |
C.children are taken care of |
D.the old join in activities |
A.A number of assistants are employed to take care of the children. |
B.The new concept benefits both the elderly and the children. |
C.The children become stronger after getting more individual attention. |
D.The children learn that sick people will die. |
A.The reason why the old and the young are separated. |
B.The support children need. |
C.One reason why children don’t live with their grandparents. |
D.The problem that the old and the young are separated. |
A.Combining elderly homes with nursery schools. |
B.Letting the children and the residents eat together. |
C.Asking young people to teach IT skills to older people. |
D.Using old people as volunteer assistants in schools. |
A.Old people’s Homes in France |
B.Building Bridges of Life |
C.A Solution to the Elderly Problem |
D.Children’s New Happy Life |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Every time Lionel Messi breaks a record, it seems appropriate to compare him to the legends that came before him.
In 2012, he rewrote soccer history on multiple occasions, and his latest record came when he scored his 86th goal of the calendar year, breaking Gerd Muller’s previous mark, before wrapping up the year with 91 goals.
All statistics indicate that Messi is currently the best player in the world, and that he will go down in history as the top footballer of his generation. But when he is judged against all-time greats like Pele and Diego Maradona, he still has work to do.
We don’t know whether the Barcelona striker will have another year in which he records more than 90 goals, but he must still sustain(维持)a similar level of production for the next several seasons.
Messi has already taken part in three of Barcelona’s victorious Champions League(冠军联赛)campaigns, and he played an important role in two of them. In order to firmly establish himself as the greatest club football player in history, he must win the tournament a few more times.
Most importantly, the Argentine(阿根廷人)needs to win on the international stage. Regardless of what Messi does for Barcelona, his legacy will be incomplete if he cannot win the World Cup with Argentina.
Both Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers, and Messi’s performances for his country have been severely disappointing.
While he was still a teenager in 2006-and his lackluster(平淡的)showing is excusable due to his youth-he cannot brush off the disappointment that characterized Argentina’s performance in 2010.
But the 4-0 loss to Germany in the 2010 World Cup Quarter Final seems to have sparked Messi. He scored 12 times for Argentina last year, and the next World Cup could finally be Messi’s breakout performance in blue and white stripes.
Due to all of his accomplishments, it is easy to forget that the extraordinary footballer is just 25 years old. If he can avoid injury or lengthy slumps(低潮状态)until his speed and skills start to decline due to age, he may continue to break records and win trophies.
【小题1】What will Messi have to do in order to be complete in his soccer career?
A.He must win the World Cup with Argentina. |
B.He must win the tournament a few more times. |
C.He must defeat Pele and Maradona. |
D.He must avoid injury or lengthy slumps. |
A.Excellent. |
B.Inspiring. |
C.Disappointing. |
D.Normal. |
A.Messi has firmly established himself as the greatest club soccer player in history. |
B.Messi will try his best to win the next World Cup with Argentina. |
C.Messi can avoid injury and lengthy slumps to break records and win trophies. |
D.Pele and Maradona led their countries to the top of international soccer during their careers. |
A.Lionel Messi, the Best Soccer Player of All Time |
B.Lionel Messi, the Greatest Soccer Player in History |
C.Barcelona and Lionel Messi |
D.World Cup and Lionel Messi |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Having a teenager at home can be a real headache. Many teenagers smoke, drink and even fight. They often do something dangerous.
Earlier studies have shown that teenagers are more likely (可能) to make irrational decisions than people from any other age group, including children and adults. Is it that teenagers are too young to tell right from wrong? Not really. So what’s the reason?
According to Laurence, a teacher from a US university, the reason is that teenagers care a lot about how their peers (同龄人) view them—that is “peer influence”.
As children enter their teenage years, they spend more time with their friends and classmates, and also they care more about what they think of them. This makes teenagers make decisions without thinking about the costs.
In a test, a group of teenagers were asked to play a video driving game. When they played with their friends watching around them, they took more chances and drove more carelessly because that would increase their possibility of winning. But when they played alone, they drove more safely.
Why do peers have such a big influence on teens’ behavior?
As Laurence sees it, a teenager’s brain is like a car with a good accelerator (油门) but a weak brake (刹车). The “accelerator” is fully developed by teenage years while the “brake” is still not fully developed. When teenagers are watched by their peers, they usually push hard on the accelerator. With their weak brake, it is likely that they are going to end up in an accident.
But the good news is that a violent (暴力的)teenager doesn’t necessarily become a violent adult. About two-thirds to three-quarters of violent youth grow out of it. “They get more self-controlled.”
【小题1】What does the underlined word “irrational” in the 2nd paragraph mean?
A.Quick. | B.Crazy. | C.Careful. | D.Correct. |
A.They like difficult tasks. |
B.They don’t care about costs. |
C.They are too young to tell right from wrong. |
D.They care a lot about what their peers think of them. |
A.By comparing it with how a car works. |
B.By comparing it with an accident. |
C.By showing research findings. |
D.By giving examples. |
A.use more self-control |
B.perform better than when they are alone |
C.become more careful about what they do |
D.care about winning without thinking about danger |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Yasuda is 95 years old. Looking for easier ways to search the Web and send email, he bought Apple’s iPad. The company has sold 3.27 million iPads since they entered the market in April. Although it’s impossible to know with certainty how many seniors (老年人) are buying them, evidence suggests that it’s a hit with seniors.
The iPad’s intuitive interface (直观界面) makes it attractive to seniors around the world, says Takahiro Miura, a researcher at the University of Tokyou. “The iPad is a good tool for seniors because it’s very easy to use,” he says. “Unlike the PC, it doesn’t require former knowledge.”
James Cordwell, a researcher in London, says the iPad’s popularity with seniors is helping Apple reach beyond its traditional base of young customers. “The world’s population, especially in developed markets, is getting older. It’s probably a market where Apple has least entered, ” Cordwell says. Senior users are “a key source of growth for them in the future.”
Seniors make up about 22 percent of the population in Japan. They may prove that seniors are willing to accept the iPad. Besides the customer group under 30, they spend more than any other group in the country, according to a report. Motoo Kitamura, 78, a former gas salesman, bought an iPad to help him communicate with his 2-year-old grandson and prevent him from experiencing some of the mental problems that sometimes come with getting older. “Trying new things like that is good mental exercise,” he says.
【小题1】The underlined part “a hit” in Paragraph 1 probably means ______ .
A.a sudden attack | B.a heavy burden | C.quite popular | D.very familiar |
A.It has intuitive interface. |
B.It is easy to operate. |
C.Beginners can use it without similar experiences. |
D.People can use it as a way to do mental exercise. |
A.People above thirty are Apple’s largest customer group in Japan. |
B.The traditional customers of Apple’s products are usually the young. |
C.Seniors will soon grow into Apple’s largest customer group. |
D.Seniors in Japan are fond of buying latest hi-tech products. |
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