Poor weather. Technical difficulties. These are some of the typical causes of cancelled trains and planes. But sometimes, the excuse can be a lot more trivial.
Just recently, passengers waiting for a train to Peterborough heard the following announcement, “For reasons beyond our control, we regret to inform passengers that the 13:46 Train to Peterborough has been cancelled. The next train will be arriving on Platform in approximately 36 minutes.”
Oh, well, another delayed train, thought most passengers. But a couple of them decided to enquire further. Incredibly, they were informed that the real reason for the non-arrival of the train was that the driver refused to do his job because his seat was wet.
“A wet seat? That’s got to be a joke,” said one passenger angrily. “I wouldn’t normally complain if the train is just a bit delayed, but this was unbelievable, ” he added. “What really made me angry is that this driver refused to get in the train,” said another passenger. “He probably went off for a cup of tea after that!” she added.
A spokesperson for the rail company apologized for the incident, but said the driver couldn’t sit on the damp seat, and wouldn’t be able to drive the train standing up. The spokesperson went on to explain that the seat had become wet after water entered through an open window when the train was being cleaned in a “train wash”
In another transport-related incident, a flight from Chicago to Frankfurt made an emergency landing in Canada after the pilot spilled his coffee. Apparently, the spilt liquid caused the plane’s radio to send out “transponder code 7500”, which is used to inform ground control that there’s been a hi-jacking (劫机). After landing in Toronto, the 255 passengers crew members were put up in a hotel for the night, then flown on to Frankfurt the following afternoon. “What a disgusting trip!” said one tired passenger after the painful experience had ended.
So, does your job have the potential to cause such disorder?Why did the driver of the train refused to do his job?
| A．His seat was damp. | B．His pay was low |
| C．The weather was terrible | D．His coffee was spilled |
The underlined word “trivial” in Paragraph 1 means “____”.
| A．damp | B．unimportant | C．emergent | D．convincing |
The flight made an emergency landing in Canada because “_______”.
| A．the plane was hijacked |
| B．the plane engines went wrong |
| C．the pilot ran out of coffee |
| D．the plane’s radio sent out a wrong signal |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．Wet seat, Canceled Train! |
| B．Spilled Coffee, Emergency Landing! |
| C．Small Incident, Big Disruptions! |
| D．Innocent Driver, Angry Passengers! |
Training courses for the general public
We have developed a new range of first aid courses designed to meet the needs of home or leisure activities．It wjll help you in the everyday life．
Emergency life support
Our emergency life support course takes just three hours to complete and will give you the essential skills to save a life．It includes heart attacks, stroke, stomach-ache and serious bleeding．
Basic first aid
This course is about everyday first aid: minor burns and scalds （烫伤） , small cuts and scrapes in daily life, which are invaluable when accidents happen around the home —and when you're out and about．It doesn't include CPR．
This course is ideal for members of the public who want to learn first aid without having to do resuscitation or CPR．
Family first aid
This course is for families to leam first aid together．The course covers the same content as Basic first aid and Emergency life support．The course takes six hours．
In addition to the Basic first aid course content you will also learn:
●Treatment of asthma, head injuries, chest pains and shock．
●Treatment of severe bleeding and severe burns．
●Recognition and treatment for meningitis, poisons, seizures and stroke．
●Bone, muscle and joint injuries．
Activity f
irst aid
This course takes 16 hours and includes all the content of Emergency life support．Basic first aid and Family first aid course．It also covers conditions caused by the extremes of temperature, low blood sugar and casualty management．
Total first aid
It is our most comprehensive first aid course taking 28 hours to complete．This course is for members of the public who want an in-depth knowledge of first aid techniques．This includes all of the content of the Activity first aid course and training in using some medical instruments．
Emergency aid for traffic
This course is specifically designed for accidents and covers emergency life support skills and head injuries．This course is ideal for members of the general public who are motorcyclists and wish to know how to handle an incident．
Sports first aid
This course will give you all the necessary first aid skills to deal with a whole range of sporting injuries．
45．These first aid training courses are mainly designed for ．
A．housewives B．members of the public
C．doctors and nurses D．school students
46．The underlined word "scrapes" in the third paragraph probably means " "．
A．injuries caused by a serious accident B．sudden attack of illness in the brain
C．injuries caused by something rough D．injuries caused by wild animals
47．How long does it take to complete Basic first aid course?
A．Three hours． B．Four hours． C．Five hours． D．Six hours．
48．Which of the following contains most first aid skills?
A．Basic first aid． B．Family first aid．
C．Activity first aid． D．Total first aid
The strong fear of high school math is lost here among the blue light of computer screens and the sounds of typing keyboard．
A fanfare （喇叭声） plays from a speaker as a student passes a chapter test．Nearby another student is watching a video lecture．Another works out a math problem in her notebook before clicking on a multiple-choice answer on her screen．
Their teacher at Agoura High School, US, Russell Stephans, sits at the back of the room, watching as scores pop up in real time on his computer grade sheet．One student has passed a level, the data shows; another is retaking a quiz．
"Whoever thought this up^makes life so much easier," Stephans says．
This textbook-free classroom is by no means the norm（常态）, but it may be someday．Slowly, but in increasing numbers, schools across the US are replacing the heavy and expensive textbook with its lighter and cheaper cousin: the digital textbook．
A digital textbook can be downloaded, projected and printed, and can range from simple text to a course filled with multimedia and links to Internet content．Some versions （版本） must be purchased; others are "open source" —free and available online to anyone．
Some praise the technology as a way to save schools' money, replace outdated books and better engage students．Others say most schools don't have the resources to join in, or they question the quality of open-source content．
Paper books still hold the highest percentage of the US textbook market, with digital textbooks making up less than 5 percent, according to analyst Kathy Mickey of Simba Information, a market research group．
But that is changing, as grade schools follow the lead of US liniversities and schools in other countries, including South Korea and Turkey．
California made the largest embrace （拥抱） of digital textbooks this summer when it approved 10 free high school math and science titles developed by college professors．The state left the choice to use them up to individual schools．
"The textbooks are outdated, as far as I'm concerned, and there's no reason why our schools should have our students pull around these old-fashioned and heavy and expensive books," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said this summer．
But some disagree with the idea that digital textbooks will improve education quality．
"Keep in mind that with open-source materials, you have to ask: 'Where are they coming from?'" said Jay Diskey, executive director of the Association of American Publishers' school division．"Is it a trusted source? Is it based on real research?"
Diskey said traditional textbooks offer a comprehensive course, while some open-source texts provide only bits and pieces．"There can be quite a difference of content and accuracy," he said．"In many cases, you get what you pay for．"
57．The writer's purpose in writing the passage is to .
A．explain how to use digital textbooks
B．predict the future of paper textbooks
C．describe the current use of digital textbooks and present arguments about it
D．explain the difference between paper textbooks and digital ones
58．What is Schwarzenegger's opinion of traditional textbooks?
A．He is against getting rid of them．
B．He wants to have them replaced with digital ones．
C．Soon they will no longer be used．
D．He believes that they are to blame for the poor quality of education in California
59．Diskey holds the view that .
A．the government shouldn't strengthen the use of open-source digital texts
B．digital textbooks make up for the shortcomings of traditional textbooks．
C．paper textbooks and digital ones both have advantages
D．traditional textbooks have more reliable content
60．According to the text, which of the following is TRUE?
A．Math is easier with the use of computers．
B．It is believed that digital books will replace traditional ones．
C．Textbook-free classes are the main form of teaching in the US schools．
D．Not all people are in favor of replacing paper textbooks with digital ones．
In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who'd lived those years with us．In fact, we don't have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones close to us —the ones so easily overlooked．If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now! While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it．Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world's happiness．
Saying thanks not only brightens someone else's world, it brightens yours．If you're feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others．It may be just the medicine you need．
Of course, there are times when you can't express gratitude immediately．In that case don't let embarrassment sink you into silence —speak up the first time you have the chance．
Once a young minister．Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish of Kwakiuti Indians in British Columbia．The Indians, he had been told, did not have a word for thank you．But Brian soon found that these people had exceptional generosity．Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness．They do their thanks．
I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive, more caring?
Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms people all around us—including ourselves．For no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart．Its message is universal; its lyrics transcend （超越） all earthly barriers; its music touches the heavens．
53．In the first paragraph the writer mainly encourages us .
A．never to overlook our close friends in daily life
B．to express our sincere thanks timely to those around us
C．to wait for a proper occasion to show our thanks
D．to increase the world's happiness by saying thanks
54．According to the writer, could be the best way to prevent ourselves from being left out.
A．seeing a doctor to find the right medicine we need
B．expressing our thanks as much as we can
C．showing others actively we are interested in them
D．speaking up the moment we have the chance
55．Mark Brian's story is mentioned in the passage in order to show the fact that .
A．the Indians didn't have any words for appreciation
B．the Indians were particularly generous to others
C．Mark Brian's set the Indians an example to show thanks
D．some people may express their thanks through different approaches
56．What message does the writer intend to communicate in the last paragraph?
A．Thanks is of great importance in developing harmonious relationship．
B．One grateful heart is surely to deserve another good one in return．
C．Thankfulness which goes beyond all barriers is universally understood．
D．Human beings would misunderstand each other without appreciation．
Dear Daughter:
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a 
letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind．
First, I want to tell you how proud we are．Getting into Columbia is a real testament of what a great well-rounded student you are．You should be as proud of yourself as we are．
Your college years will be the most important years in your life．It is in college that you will discover what learning is about．This will be the period where you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-leamer．So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn't critical for your life, the learning skills you acquire will be something you cherish forever．
Follow your passion in college．Take courses you think you will enjoy．Don't be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind．
Most importantly, make friends and be happy．College friends are often the best in life．Pick a few friends and become really close to them—pick the ones who are genuine and sincere to you．Don't worry about their hobbies, grades, looks, or even personalities．
Start planning early —what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to leam? I think your plan of studying fashion is good, and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses．
Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major, or managing your time, you should take control of your life．I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver's seat - this is your life, and you need to be in control．Being in control feels great．Try it, and you'll love it!
College is the four years where you have:
●he greatest amount of free time
●the first chance to be independent
●the most flexibility to change
●the lowest risk for making mistakes
So please value your college years ?make full use of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny, be bold to experiment, leam and grow through your successes and challenges．
May Columbia become the happiest four years in your life, and may you blossom into just what you dream to be．
Love,
Dad （& Mom）
49．What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter?
A．Opportunities and uncertainty．
B．Happy learning and pure enjoyment
C．Successes and challenges．
D．Independent learning and experimentation with life．
50．What does the underlined expression "be in the driver's seat" refer to?
A．Control what happens in a certain situation．
B．Learn how to drive a car．
C．Stand in a driver's situation．
D．Learn to adjust yourself to coursework
51．Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?
a．think and live independently b．learn how to learn
c．choose friends with similar personalities d．be genuine and sincere
e．try new things
A．abc B．bce C．cde D．able
52．From the text we can conclude the father ．
A．is worried about others' gossiping about his daughter
B．is strict with his daughter's making friends with others
C．is upset about his daughter's life planning
D．is optimistic about his daughter's future．
第二部分阅读理解（第一节20
小题，第二节5小题；每小题2分，共50分）
第一节：阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Marrakesh has many names —the Red City, Pearl of the South, the Heartbeat of Morocco—lives up to them all．It is an important and former imperial city in Morocco．It has a population of 1,070,838 and is the capital of the mid-southwestern economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz．Marrakesh, located in central Morocco, rests at the foothills of the snowcapped Atlas Mountains．Its location and rich cultural traditions make it one of the hottest tourist destinations in North Africa today．This lively city attracts visitors with its beautiful palaces, ancient winding streets, colorful goods, and lively city square．
One of the city's leading attractions is the Medina —its walled, ancient quarter—within which lies a maze （迷宫） of small, winding streets．This district dates back to the founding of the city in the llth century．Marrakesh's earliest rulers built walls around the Medina as well as mosques （清真寺）and palaces within it．Most of those were destroyed by attackers in 1147, but the city flourished again from the 17th through the 19th centuries, when many new architectural wonders were constructed．
Today, these monuments give visitors a feel for the history and culture of the city．But the Medina is not a museum．It is a lively place, crowded with people day and night．This district still houses the city's traditional market, the largest one in Morocco．The market serves locals and visitors alike, selling spices, carpets, leather bags, and colorful scarves．Here visitors can also purchase traditional pastries and other snacks in narrow streets where slaves were once bought and sold．
The Medina is a prime example of an ancient city center．In 1985, it was named officially a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in recognition of its historical importance and the need to preserve it for future generations．
41．What does the writer imply about Marrakesh?
A．It was attacked and destroyed in the 17th century．
B．It has grown quickly and become modern in a short time．
C．It draws large numbers of tourists with its splendid history and culture．
D．It has been reconstructed and boasts good public transportation．
42．According to the writer, what were built in the Medina by the earliest rulers?
A．Large campuses． B．Places of worship．
C．Sports facilities． D．Impressive theaters．
43．According to this passage, what were sold at one time in the Medina?
A．Maps of Morocco． B．Very rare books．
C．Pack animals． D．Human beings.
44．What is the passage mainly about?
A．A brief introduction of Marrakesh．
B．The process of Marrakesh's reconstruction．
C．The recognition of Marrakesh's historical importance．
D．The description of Marrakesh's flourishing culture．
粤公网安备 44130202000953号