His name is James，but people call him Rocky.The name fits.He’s big，over six feet tall，and he’s tough when he needs to be.James “Rocky” Robinson lives and works in New York City’s BedfordStuyvesant district，one of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods in the United States.Yet it is here in BedStuy that he is saving lives and reviving a community.
In 1966，when Rocky was twentysix years old，his sevenyearold niece was struck by a car on the street of BedStuy.Had someone at the scene known first aid or CPR，she might have lived.But by the time she reached a hospital，she was dead.
His niece’s unnecessary death was one reason why Rocky became a paramedic (护理人员)．Working for the Emergency Medical Service of New York City，he realized that more than half the city’s emergency calls came from highcrime areas.According to Rocky，residents of crimeplagued minority neighborhoods like BedStuy sometimes had to wait as long as 26 minutes after calling 911 for an ambulance while calls in richer white communities were answered in_a_fraction_of_the_time.
Rocky decided to find out more about the problem.His research showed that the richer communities had organized their own ambulance corps (特殊部队) to improve city services because the city was overwhelmed with calls.“If that’s the key to success，”he told his friend and EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) colleague，Joe Perez，“we’ll start our own corps in BedStuy！”
In 1988，Rocky had no idea that he and Joe would be attempting to establish the first minorityrun ambulance service in the country，or just how creative he would have to be to overcome the difficulty.The pair’s first challenge was to find a location for the headquarters.They took over an abandoned building that was commonly used by drug dealers.Because there was no electricity or running water (except for the leaks in the roof)，the two men worked during daylight hours.They used a twoway radio to receive emergency calls.
Although they could make do with their new headquarters，Rocky and Joe still lacked the most important component of an ambulance service：an ambulance.An old Chevrolet (雪佛兰) got them to the scenes of accidents，fires，shootings，and stabbings.But the car didn’t always start.At times，they were forced to strap (用带捆绑) their trauma kits and oxygen tanks to their backs and run on foot to the emergencies.Everyone laughed，except the victims who were still alive when Rocky and Joe arrived.The author believes the name “Rocky” fits James because________.
| A．he is a tall and tough man |
| B．he is tall and does something big |
| C．he is living in a tough community |
| D．he leads a tough community |
James’ sevenyearold niece would have been saved if________.
| A．she had been sent to a better hospital |
| B．she had got first aid and arrived in hospital earlier |
| C．James had been at the spot |
| D．emergency calls had been available in the area |
The underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 means________.
| A．in a short time |
| B．over a long time |
| C．in the near future |
| D．from time to time |
We can infer from Paragraph 4 that________.
| A．ambulance corps were only allowed in rich white communities |
| B．James found white communities made more emergency calls |
| C．city services were not enough to meet people’s need |
| D．it was easy to establish the minorityrun ambulance service |
For years and years people have been saying that the railways are dead. “ We can do without railways.” People say…as if motorcars and planes have made the railways unnecessary. We all keep hearing that trains are slow, that they lose money, and that they’re dying .But this is far from the truth: in these days of expensive oil, the railways have become highly competitive with motorcars and planes. If you want to carry people or goods from place to place, they are cheaper than planes. And they have much in common with planes. A plane goes in a straight line and so does a railway. What is more, it takes you from the heart of a city into the heart of another. It doesn’t leave you up as a plane does, miles and miles from the city center. It doesn’t hold you up as a car does, in endless traffic jams, and a single train carry goods which a plane or a motorcar could never do.
Far from being dead, the railways are very much alive. Modern railway lines give you a smooth, untroubled journey. Where else can you eat well, sleep in comfort, feel safe and enjoy the scene while you are traveling at speed at the same time? And we are only at the beginning, for we have just entered the age of super-fast trains, trains traveling at 150 miles an hour and more. Soon we will be wondering why we spent so much on motorcars we can’t use because we have not enough money to buy the oil and planes we can’t fly for the same reason..Some people think the railways are unnecessary for many reasons except that .
| A．planes and motorcars have taken the place of trains |
| B．oil is expensive today |
| C．trains are slow |
| D．railways lose money |
According to the writer, which of the following is Not true?
| A．It is cheaper to travel by train than by plane. |
| B．The railway station is usually at the center of the city. |
| C．When you get off the plane you will find yourself right in the city center. |
| D．No motorcar or plane can carry as many goods as a train does. |
The writer thinks that the railways, far from being dead, are very much alive because .
| A．we can have a smooth and untroubled journey |
| B．we’ll not have enough money to fly in planes |
| C．we can now travel in super-fast train |
| D．all of the above |
The best title for this passage may be” ”
| A．Not the End but the Beginning |
| B．Which is the Best: Train, Motorcar or Plane |
| C．Trains are More Competitive than Motorcars or Planes |
| D．Oh, Super-fast Trains |
The Republic of Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. It was one of the poorest nations in the region. Within the last five years, however, it has become a hot spot for adventure travelers. In 2006 it was voted the happiest place on Earth. The reason is not that Vanuatu are the richest but that Vanuatu has white-sand islands, clear waters, the world’s most accessible live volcano, great diving and food that grows faster than it can be picked.
With a population of about 221,000, Vanuatu has 113 languages, which is a result of 3,000 years of immigration from many Pacific countries. There are three official languages: English, French, and Bislama. Bislama developed from South Pacific English, a simplified language that traders and other foreigners used it to communicate with speakers of the many local languages.
Most of the islands are mountainous and of volcanic origin. There are several active volcanoes in Vanuatu, including Yasur on the island of Tanna, one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes. If you’ve ever fancied getting close to a volcano, here’s your chance.
Vanuatu Post’s Underwater Post Office has quickly become one of the busiest post offices for postcards in the world! Visitors from around the world want to experience the world’s first underwater post office. The Post Office is only 50 meters offshore and at just three meters below the surface, very appealing to the young and young at heart. Since opening in 2003, the underwater post office has received about 100,000 visitors. They have posted one of the waterproof（防水的）postcards available in Vanuatu; these cards are collected regularly by one of Vanuatu Post’s four trained divers. The underwater branch is manned daily for usually about an hour, longer with demand.Vanuatu was voted the happiest place on Earth because _______.
| A．it’s the poorest nation in the region |
| B．it’s Vanuatu that are the richest |
| C．it’s a favorite place for adventurers |
| D．it’s blessed with abundant nature |
From the text, _______ led to over one hundred languages spoken in Vanuatu.
| A．immigration | B．location | C．dialects | D．foreigners |
Which of the following is true about Vanuatu?
| A．Bislama developed from local Pacific French. |
| B．Yasur is one of the live volcanoes in Vanuatu. |
| C．Vanuatu has more than 113 official languages. |
| D．Underwater Post Office has opened for 5 years. |
Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
| A．Working at the underwater branch | B．Great diving in amazing Vanuatu |
| C．A hot spot for adventure travelers | D．The busiest post office on Earth |
What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
| A．Various languages. | B．Underwater diving. |
| C．Food in Vanuatu. | D．History of Vanuatu. |
Owning a smartphone may not be as smart as you think. They may let you surf the Internet, listen to music and take photos wherever you are, but they also turn you into a workaholic（工作狂）.
A study suggests that, by giving you access to emails at all times, the smartphone adds as much as two hours to your working day. Researchers found that Britons work an additional 460 hours a year on average as they are able to respond to emails on their mobiles. The study shows the average UK working day is between 9 and 10 hours, but a further 2 hours is spent responding to or sending work emails, or making work calls.
Almost one in ten admits spending up to three hours outside their normal working day checking work emails. Some workers say they are on call almost 24 hours a day. Nearly two-thirds say they often check work emails just before they go to bed and as soon as they wake up, while over a third have replied to one in the middle of the night. The average time for first checking emails is between 6 am and 7 am, with more than a third checking their first email in this period, and a quarter checking them between 11pm and midnight.
Ghadi Hobeika, marketing director of Pixmania, said: “The ability to access millions of applications has made smartphones invaluable for many people. However, there are disadvantages. Many companies expect their employees to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and smartphones mean that people cannot get away from work. The more constantly in touch we become, the more is expected of us in work . ”With a smartphone the average UK working day is _______.
| A．2 hours | B．9 to 10 hours | C．11 to 12 hours | D．24 hours |
It could be inferred from the text that the British people _______.
| A．prefer to check emails in the morning |
| B．are crazy about different smartphones |
| C．shorten their normal working hours |
| D．work extra hours with smartphones |
What does Ghadi Hobeika feel about smartphones?
| A．They are unimportant for most of people. |
| B．They have disadvantages for some companies. |
| C．They make it impossible for people to rest. |
| D．They are useful to improve a work ability. |
Where can we most probably read this text?
| A．In a science fiction. | B．In a newspaper. |
| C．In a travel magazine. | D．In a storybook. |
The number of smokers in England is about 8 million. According to the Department of Health, smoking is the biggest cause of early death in the country. Smokers in England have been asked to give up smoking for 28 days this month, in an action backed by Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
Research shows people who manage not to light up for this length of time are 5 times more likely to kick the habit. Public health experts say campaigns that include a combination of hard-hitting ads and supportive messages work best.
Quitting smoking can be difficult. However, people are much more likely to succeed if other people are doing the same than if they try to do it alone and go cold turkey. Robert West, Director of Tobacco Studies at University College London, points out how pressure from people around can prevent a smoker going on smoking. “We are social animals,” he said.
The action has met some doubts among readers of the BBC News Online website. Some compared it to asking people to stop eating as a way of fighting overweight. Others doubt the action’s effectiveness. “Its weakness is that it fails to explain why a person smokes, and the reasons are as many as the number of smokers”, says someone who signed as BluesBerry.
Another reader, Cazz, has decided to give it some credit. He says:“ Campaigns like this won’t necessarily inspire the majority of smokers to quit, but may encourage those thinking about quitting to set a date and try. Surely it’s worth a shot. ”What does the text mainly talk about?
| A．A new action to quit smoking. |
| B．A way of fighting overweight. |
| C．A country with the most smokers. |
| D．The biggest cause of early death. |
The underlined phrase “go cold turkey” in the third paragraph means “_______”.
| A．buy a cold turkey | B．eat too much food | C．stop a bad habit | D．get much support |
Why is it easier to stop smoking when other people are doing the same?
| A．Because people usually respect each other. |
| B．Because they’re faced with the same pressure. |
| C．Because people are influenced by each other. |
| D．Because they keep the same animals as pets. |
What’s Cazz’ s attitude in the last paragraph?
| A．Distant． | B．Doubtful． | C．Surprised． | D．Approving |
Built in 1794 for the 5th Duke of Bedford, this hotel in the heart of Bedford overlooks the River Ouse, which winds through the beautiful Bedfordshire countryside.
We offer a flexible approach to conferencing. With purpose-built meeting rooms offering a flexible and functional space, our hotel is designed for comfort and convenience. Day Delegate（代表/代表团）, 24 Hour Delegate or room hire only can be arranged to meet your needs and we offer a range of food and drinks for all requirements.
The Bedford Swan Hotel provides an impressive range of conference, training and function rooms which are suitable for up to 250 delegates.
Our hotel is located 30 minutes drive from Luton Airport and a 20-minute walk from Bedford Train Station with regular trains to and from Central London.
What to expect:
• A professional service from the beginning
• Your own event consultant
• A great location with car parking
• Well equipped rooms perfect for your meeting or event
• Various Day Delegate packages
• Personalised dining and refreshment breaks
• Accurate billing
Discounted Day Delegate Rates from £35 per person
* Hold your meeting before 30th November 2013 and benefit from our special day delegate rates
* Day Delegate Rate from £35.00 per person
* Minimum numbers of 8 apply
Call us on 01234 346565 or e-mail us on info@bedfordswanhotel.co.uk
Bedford Swan Hotel is more suitable for _______.
| A．busy sightseers | B．conference travelers |
| C．fresh trainees | D．event consultants |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．It takes you 20 minutes to walk here from Central London. |
| B．The Bedford Swan Hotel was built in the late 18th century. |
| C．The hotel is located sixty kilometres from Luton Airport. |
| D．Guests can get professional service by offering extra tips. |
From the advertisement above we can learn that Bedford Swan Hotel _______.
| A．can serve up to 250 delegates | B．winds through Bedfordshire |
| C．can provide personalised billing | D．offers no car parking service |
The special discount will be given if _______.
| A．a delegate of 8 apply for 24-hour-meeting rooms |
| B．guests pay £35.00 per person for the rooms they live in |
| C．you book a purpose-built meeting room on a special day |
| D．8 delegates hold a day meeting on November 2, 2013 |
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