When I stepped out the plane from Miami into Charlotte, North Carolina, airport for a connecting flight home, I immediately knew something was wrong. Lots of desperate people crowded the terminal. I quickly learned that flights headed to the Northeast were called off because of a storm. The earliest they could get us out of Charlotte was Tuesday. It was Friday. A gate agent stood on the counter and shouted, “Don’t ask us for help! We cannot help you!”
I joined a crowd that ran from terminal to terminal in search of a flight out. Eventually, I found six strangers willing to rent a van with me. We drove through the night to Washington, where I took a train the rest of the way to Providence.
The real problem, of course, is that incidents like this happen every day, to everyone who flies, more and more often. It really gets to me, though, because for eight years I was on the other side, as a flight attendant for Trans-World Airlines(TWA).
I know the days are gone when attendants could be written up if we did not put the lines napkins with the TWA logo in the lower right-hand corner of the first-class diners’ trays. As are the days when there were three dinner options on flights from Boston to Los Angeles in economy class. When, once, stuck on
a tarmac (机场停机坪) in Newark for four hours, a planeload of passengers got McDonald’s hamburgers and fries by thoughtfulness of the airline.
I have experienced the decline of service along with the rest of the flying public. But I believe everything will change little by little, because I remember the days when to fly was to soar (翱翔). The airlines, and their employees, took pride in how their passengers were treated. And I think the days are sure to come back one day in the near future. Many people crowded the terminal because ________.
| A．they were ready to board on the planes |
| B．something was wrong with the terminal |
| C．the flights to the Northeast were canceled |
| D．the gate agent wouldn’t help the passengers |
The writer got to Providence ________ at last.
| A．by air | B．by van | C．by train | D．by underground |
Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
| A．Incidents happened to those who fly quite often. |
| B．The writer used to be a flight attendant for Trans-World Airlines. |
| C．Even a small mistake might cause complaints from passengers in the past. |
| D．McDonald’s hamburgers and fries were among regular dinner options. |
What can be implied from the passage?
A．The writer lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. |
| B．The writer thought the service was not as good as it used to be. |
| C．The writer with other passengers waited to be picked up patiently. |
| D．Passengers would feel proud of how they were treated on the plane. |
DIY sailor Owen Warboys has finally launched his homemade boat — after spending nearly 30 years building it in his mum’s garden.
Owen, 66, a retired engineer from Hordle, New Milton, Hants, first started work on the 40ft—long boat in 1982 because he could not afford to buy his own. He told mum Edith that it would only take five years but after suffering “a few problems” it lasted nearly three decades.
When he finally finished, he was left with the head-scratching task of getting the 18-tonne boat out of the back garden. After some time he found a way. A huge crane (起重机) was brought in to carefully raise it 40ft in the air over his mother’s house and onto a lorry. It was then driven to the seaside and, to Owen’s delight, it floated and showed no signs of leaking when lowered into the water.
Now, 28 years after he first started, Owen is at last preparing to set sail in his beloved boat, Wight Dolphin, with his long-suffering wife Anne. Owen said, “I am so relieved that it’s finished. There were times when I thought it would never end but I’m the sort of person who likes to finish something once I’ve started.”
At first he persuaded his mum to let him do it in her garden and started taking in sheets of steel and pieces of wood. “My mother was happy for me to build it at her house but only bacause I told her it would only take five years.”Why did Owen decide to make his own boat by himself?
| A．He wanted to kill time after his retirement |
| B．He wished to set a new world record |
| C．He didn’t have enough money to buy a boat |
| D．He had a hobby of making things by hand |
What problem did Owen face when he finished his boat?
| A．It leaked when lowered into the water |
| B．It couldn’t be sent onto a truck |
| C．He couldn’t afford to hire a crane. |
| D．He didn’t know how to move it out. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the boat ?
| A．It was built by Owen and his supportive wife |
| B．It was in good condition after being put in the sea |
| C．Owen’s mother was relieved to see it was finished |
| D．Owen and his wife will sail around the world in it |
We can infer from the passage that _____.
| A．the boat will enter a race competition |
| B．Owen retired early in order to make his boat |
| C．Owen’s wife gave the boat the name of Wight Dolphin |
| D．It took 23 more years to finish the boat than expected |
BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhuanet)--- A new hotel concept has been realized in a village in Northern Sweden, which aims to make the simple treehouse become a world-class destination for travellers. The Treehotel, located in a place called Harads, will consist of four rooms when it opens on July 17th: the Cabin, the Blue Cone, the Nest, and the Mirrorcube.
Two additional rooms are scheduled to open in October. The long term vision(想象) is even more expansive. “Our goal in five years is to have 24 rooms from 24 different architects,” says Treehotel co-founder Kent Lindvall.
The first six rooms were designed by five different architects. The Mirrorcube which stands four meters high and four meters wide, and the walls of which are made with a mirrored glass, has drawn widespread attention as it will be attached to a single tree. “It’s an interesting building. You can’t find anything else like this in the world today. It’s unique(独特的),” says Lindvall. “Everything will reflect in it---the trees, the birds, the clouds and the sun in the forest. So it could hardly be seen in the forest. This is untouched forest and we want to keep it the same way.”
Lindvall says the Treehotel’s vision proves a powerful draw, with enquiries(询问) coming in from far and wide. “I think what’s exciting here is that we’re just 60 km below the Arctic Circle. It means there’s a good possibility to have the northern lights in the winter and of course to have the midnight sun in the summer.”
The motto of the Treehotel is “Feel Free in a Tree” and expense will cost up to about $555.50 for two guests in the Cube, which is designed to hold up to four guests. The underlined word “expansive” probably means _____.
| A．costing a lot of money |
| B．covering a large area |
| C．requiring knowledge and skills |
| D．increasing suddenly and rapidly |
According to the passage, the Mirrorcube is a unique building because _____.
| A．everything can reflect in it |
| B．it’s large with plenty of space |
| C．there is a large mirror wall in it |
| D．it has limited effect on local wildlife |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The Treehotel is ideally situated to enjoy the natural wonders. |
| B．The Treehotel is a great base to explore the many local places of interest. |
| C．Travellers can have a relaxed holiday at a reasonable price in the Treehotel. |
| D．The six rooms of the Treehotel was separately designed by 6 different architects. |
The Homeless World Cup is an international football event, where teams made up entirely of people who are homeless compete. The event has been held annually since 2003.
It was at the end of 2001 that Mel Young, a famous expert in the media inDustry, came up with the idea of the Homeless World Cup. 18 months later the first event took place in Austria. It was such a success that people decided to do more.
There are some interesting and special rules of the event. For example, players(male or female at least 16 years old) must have been homeless at some time after the previous year’s World Cup or make their main living income by selling newspapers in the street or be asylum（政治避难） seekers . Anyone can take part, regardless of his or her abilities. There are at most 4 players per team to compete in the field. Games are 14 minutes long.
In 2007, 48 nations, 500 players took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their countries for true spirit and glory in Copenhagen, Denmark. The winner in 2007 was Scotland. The 2008 Homeless World Cup took place in Melbourne, Australia. And in 2009 it was held in Milan. The latest Homeless World Cup was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in September 2010. Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup takes place August followed by the México City 2012 Homeless World Cup.
The success of the competition has been in two aspects—to attract the world’s attention to the problems of homelessness and also to help participants live a better life.
According to a survey by the Homeless World Cup Organization after 2006 Homeless World Cup, 92% of the players had a new motivation for life, 93 players successfully got rid of their dependency on drugs and alcohol, 44% improved their housing situation and 72% continued to play football.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The first Homeless World Cup took place in 2003. |
| B．The Homeless World Cup was held every other year. |
| C．The host country of the 9th Homeless World Cup was Australia. |
| D．Anyone who is homeless can take part in the Homeless World Cup. |
The aim of the Homeless World Cup is to _____.
| A．promote the cause of football |
| B．help the homeless live a better life |
| C．draw attention to those living in poverty |
| D．call on homeless people to unite and compete for honor |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．Most players moved out of poverty. |
| B．Homeless players became professional footballers. |
| C．93% of the players were independent of drugs and alcohol. |
| D．The Homeless World Cup helped homeless people change their lives. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．To End Homelessness. | B．Football For Everyone. |
| C．Hope For The Homeless. | D．Beating Homelessness Through Football. |
Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission(录取) to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught in school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling.
In 1849, after graduation from medical school. she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon(外科医师) , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea.
Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children. Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital, she also set up the first medical school for women.Why couldn’t Elizabeth Blackwell realize her dream of becoming a surgeon?
| A．She couldn’t get admitted to medical school |
| B．She decided to further her education in Paris |
| C．A serious eye problem stopped her |
| D．It was difficult for her to start a practice in the United States |
What main obstacle(障碍) almost destroyed Elizabeth’s chances for becoming for a doctor?
| A．She was a woman. |
| B．She wrote too many letters. |
| C．She couldn’t graduate from medical school. |
| D．She couldn’t set up her hospital. |
How many years passed between her graduation from medical school and the opening of her hospital?
| A．Eight years | B．Ten years | C．Nineteen years | D．Thirty-six years |
According to the passage, all of the following are “firsts” in the life of Elizabeth Blacekwell,except that she ______.
| A．became the first woman physician |
| B．was the first woman doctor |
| C．and several other women founded the first hospital for women and children |
| D．set up the first medical school for women |
Eilzabeth Blackwell spent most of her lift in _______.
| A．England | B．Paris | C．the United States | D．New York City |
As we all know, language is always changing. In a society where life continues year after year with few changes, the language does not change either. The earliest known languages had difficult grammar but a small, limited vocabulary. Over the century, the grammar changed, and the vocabulary grew. For example, the English and Spanish people who came to America during the sixteenth century gave names to all the new plants and animals they found. In this way, hundreds of new words were introduced into English and Spanish vocabularies. Today life is changing very fast, and language is changing fast too.
There are several major(主要) language families in the world. Some scientists say there are nine main families, but other scientists divide them differently. The languages in each family are connected, and scientists think that they came from the same parent language. About 3 percent of the people in the world speak languages that are not in these major families.The early language had ________.
| A．a lot of problems |
| B．words and easy grammar |
| C．words but no grammar |
| D．grammar but not many words |
In the next few hundred years we can expect language to _____.
| A．stay exactly the same |
| B．change a great deal |
| C．change only a little |
| D．ask more words and drop some grammar |
What this article shows is that _____.
| A．languages change fast |
| B．languages really don't want to change |
| C．language really with changes in society |
| D．Spanish and English change |
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