The Inventor of LEDWhen Nick Holonyak set out to create a new kind of visible lighting using semiconductor（半导体）alloys（合金），his colleagues thought he was unrealistic. Today，his discovery of light-emitting diodes，or LEDs，is used in everything from DVDs to alarm clocks to airports. Dozens of his students have continued his work，developing lighting used in traffic lights and other everyday technology.On April 23，2004，Holonyak received the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize at a ceremony in Washington. This marks the 10th vear that the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology（MIT）has given the award to prominent inventors."Anytime you get an award，big or little，it's always a surprise，"Holonyak said.Holonyak，75，was a student of John Bardeen，an inventor of the transistor（晶体管），in the early 1950s.After graduate school，Holonyak worked at Bell Labs. He later went to General Electric，where he invented a switch now widely used in house dimmer switches. Later，Holonyak started looking into how semiconductors could be used to generate light. But while his colleagues were looking into how to generate invisible light，he wanted to generate visible light. The LEDs he invented in 1962 now last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs，and are more environmentally friendly and cost effective.Holonyak，now a professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics at the University of Illinois，said he suspected that LEDs would become as commonplace（平凡的）as they are today，but didn't realize how many uses they would have."You don't know in the beginning. You think you're doing something important，you think it’s worth doing，but you really can't tell what the big payoff（成果）is going to be，and when，and how. You just don't know. “he said.The Lemelson-MIT Program also recognized Edith Flanigen，75，with the $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award for the work on a new generation of "molecular（分子）sieves（滤网）"that can separate molecules by size.【第7题】LEDs are more environmentally friendly than incandescent bulbs.

Private Car in AmericaThe private automobile(私家车)has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.For farm families, the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools. Family life has been affected(影响)in different ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can’t keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws. Mothers of victims(受害者)of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies(悲剧). They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading the same message among their friends.For many Americans, the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to American, even though they cause a lot of environmental problems to people.The automobile makes parents easier to send their children to far-away schools.

VitaminsFood contains only small quantities of vitamins, but they are vital for good health. For example, if you eat a diet of meat, bread, sugar and fat, you may become ill with a disease called scurvy (坏血病). This is caused by a deficiency （缺乏） in vitamin C, which is found in fruit and vegetables.About fifty different vitamins have been identified, and a deficiency in many of these can lead to illness. Vitamin A is most important for good eyesight, but is also important for general good health. Liver contains a considerable amount of vitamin A, but vitamin A is also found in fish, meat, milk, butter, some fruits and vegetables,Vitamin B in fact consists of twelve different chemicals, which are found in eggs, cheese, butter, wholemeal flour and vegetables. If a person has not enough vitamin B in his diet, this may affect his whole body, particularly the skin, the nervous system and the heart.Vitamin C prevents scurvy and helps to heal injuries. Some doctors believe that large quantities of vitamin C help people to avoid colds. Fruits and uncooked vegetables are rich in Vitamin C, but when they are overcooked, or left for a long time, they lose most of their vitamins.Vitamin D is essential for the growth of bones and teeth and is found in fish, liver, oil and milk. Vitamin D is the only vitamin which the body can make for itself, but it can only do this if there is sufficient sunlight. A lack of both sunlight and vitamin D can result in a disease called rickets (佝偻病) ， which causes bones to soften and to be deformed.Vitamins are only needed in very small quantities. A quantity sufficient for a whole life would weigh only a quarter of a kilogram. Vitamins can be manufactured and are sold as additions to our food, but a well-balanced diet will provide an adequate amount of vitamins.The body can make Vitamin D for itself if there is enough sunlight.

The First Settlement in North AmericaIt is very difficult to say just when colonization（殖民）began. The first hundred years after Christopher Columbus's journey of discovery in 1492 did not produce any settlement on the North America continent but rather some Spanish trading posts in South America，a great interest in gold. and adventure，and some colorful crimes in which the English had their part. John Cabot，originally from Genoa but a citizen of Venice，was established as a trader in Bristol，England，when he made a journey in 1497. But his ship，the Matthew，with its crew of eighteen，did no more than see an island （probably off the New England coast）and return home. He and his son made further voyages across the north Atlantic which enabled the English crown to claim a“legal”title to North America. But for a long time afterwards the Europeans’ interest in America was mainly confined to the Spanish activities further south. The first beginning of permanent settlement in North America was nearly a hundred years after Columbus's first voyage. The Englishman Sir Walter Raleigh claimed the whole of North America for England，calling it Virginia. In 1585 he sent a small group of people who landed in Roanoke Island，but they stayed only for a year and then went back to England with another expedition, led by Drake, in 1587. A second group who landed in 1587 had all disappeared when a further expedition arrived in 1590. The first permanent settlement in North America was in 1607. English capitalists founded two Virginia companies, a southern one based in London and a northern one based in Bristol. It was decided to give the name New England to the northern area. The first settlers in Virginia were little more than wage slaves to the company. All were men and the experiment was not very successful. Many died. Those who survived lived in miserable conditions. By 1619 the colony had only a thousand people. 【第2题】Among the early settlers in South America in the 16th century were Spanish traders.

Marriage and HouseworkHaving a husband means an extra seven hours of housework each week for women, according to a new study, For men, getting married saves an hour of housework a week. “it’s a well-known pattern," said leading researcher Frank Stafford at University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research."Men usually work more outside the home, while women take on more of the housework." He points out that the differences among all the families exit. But in general marriage means more housework for women and less for men. "And the situation gets worse for women when they have children." Stafford said. Overall, times are changing in the American homes. In 1976, women busied themselves with 26 weekly hours of sweeping-and-dusting work, compared with 17 hours in 2005.Men are taking on more housework, more than doubling their housework hours from 6 in 1976 to 13 in 2005. Single women in their 20s and 30s did the least housework, about 12 weekly hours, while married women in their 60s and 70s did the most- about 21hours a week. Men showed a somewhat different pattern, with older men picking up the broom more often than younger men. Single men worked the hardest around the house, more than that of all other age groups of married men.Having children increases housework even further. With more than three, for example, wives took on more of the extra work, clocking about 28 hours a week compared with husbands' 10 hours.In general, women will take on more housework after they______________

Thousands Islands, New YorkThere are more than a thousand reasons for visiting New York’s Thousand Island- as a matter of fact, 1834 islands and reasons. Located off the northwest shore of Lake Ontario(安大略湖) and up the St. Lawrence Seaway (圣劳伦斯海道)， these attractive islands offer tourists not only the clear blue sky and water, but also romance, family adventures and various activities.A century ago, the Thousand Islands attracted rich and famous visitors with expensive hotels and great stone houses. Today, the Thousand Islands have become an affordable vacation wonderland. You have the choices of staying at a modern hotel, a houseboat, a bed-and- breakfast inn, or even on your own personal islandAll the Thousand Islands can be reached by a houseboat, however, many are privately owned. Take a boat, slipping into quiet coves(河湾)to fish and swim, or cook the day's catch. Visit friends on their rented islands (reached only by boat). Sail to Alexandria Bay for a quiet dinner at one of the many fine restaurants. Or simply relax on the deck, enjoying the clear air and peace.The boats vary in length and size, but all come equipped with kitchen, bathroom with shower, two roomy decks, master bedroom, bunk beds (双层床) and living room. With so much space, houseboats are a great travel idea for families with children or groups of friends. Once you boat into this area, you enter a world of timeless beauty and peace.Housekeeping cottages along the St Lawrence River have rapidly become the most popular accommodations ( 住宿) for a Thousand Island's vacation. These and island cottages are generally rented on a weekly or seasonal basis. Most cottages will supply rental boats to transport you from the mainland to your vocation home, as well as to island parties during your visit.The most famous landmark of the area is Heart Island, so named for its shape. Boldt Castle was built there by George C. Boldt as a monument of love to his wife, Louise.Tragically, Louise died before the castle was finished. The castle rises six stories above the island, in the middle of the river, and is the central point for all visitors. It is open daily from mid-May through mid-OctoberWhat is the purpose of the writer?

The economy of the United States after 1952 was the economy of a well-fed, almost fully employed people. Despite occasional alarms, the country escaped any postwar depression and lived in a state of boom. An economic survey of the year 1955, a typical year of the 1950’s, may be typical as illustrating the rapid economic growth of the decade.The national output was value at 10 percent above that of 1954 (1955 output was estimated at 392 billion dollars). The production of manufacturers was about 40 percent more than it had averaged in the years immediately following World War II. The country’s business spent about 30 billion dollars for new factories and machinery. National income available for spending was almost a third greater than it had been in 1950. Consumers spent about 256 billion dollars; that is about 700 million dollars a day. or about twenty-five million dollars every hour, all round the clock. Sixty-five million people held jobs and only a little more than two million wanted jobs but could not find them.Only agriculture complained that it was not sharing in the room. To some observers this was an ominous echo of the mid-1920’s. As farmer’s sharing of their products declined, marketing costs rose. But there were, among the observers of the national economy, a few who were not as confident as the majority . Those few seemed to fear that the boom could not last and would eventually lead to the opposite-depression.In Line 3, the word “boom” could best be replaced by______.

Red Nose DayRed Nose Day (RND) is a well-known event in the UK. The aim of the day is to raise money for Comic Relief. This is a charity that helps people in need in Africa and in the UK. Comic Relief was started in 1985 by Richard Curtis. He wrote the famous films "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill". Richard started Comic Relief in response to the severe famine in Ethiopia. It's called Red Nose Day as on this day many people buy a plastic red nose to wear! The money made from selling red noses goes to the charity.Red Nose Day takes place every two years in the spring. It is now so well established that many people consider it to be an unofficial national holiday. The slogan for the last RND was "Do Something Funny for Money." The money that was collected was used to help fund projects in such areas as education and mental health. Money-raising events take place on this day all over the country and many schools participate. People also donate money by post, in banks, by phone using a credit card and online.In the evening of Red Nose Day a telethon takes place on the BBC TV channels. This is like a television marathon(马拉松)that shows some of the events of the day and reports how the money raised will be spent. People also upload videos of local charity events onto the Internet. So, if you are ever in the UK on Red Nose Day, you will know why you find normal people wearing red noses and doing silly things! It's all for a good cause!The funnier people look, the more money they collect.

Private Car in AmericaThe private automobile(私家车)has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.For farm families, the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools. Family life has been affected(影响)in different ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can’t keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws. Mothers of victims(受害者)of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies(悲剧). They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading the same message among their friends.For many Americans, the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to American, even though they cause a lot of environmental problems to people.Students also set up an organization to prevent traffic accident.

【阅读判断】A moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007, toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds.Q: During the April 28 earthquake, the whole England was left without power.