Traffic lights are red， yellow and green． They are very important signals（信号）． Traffic lights are usually placed at busy street corners to help control traffic． Sometimes， they are on streets near schools and shops，too． Most young children are taught what each of the colored lights means， so everybody can stay safe．
The first traffic signals were used for trains． The signals were put alongside railway tracks（轨道）．The color red was used to mean "stop" because it warned people of danger． A red light was also the easiest color to see from a distance． Train drivers could see the red "stop" light ahead and had enough time to slow down and stop their trains． A green light was used to mean "take care" and a white light meant "go"．
However， there were many dangerous accidents on the train tracks． Some train drivers thought a star shining in the night sky was a white light that meant"go"． So the signals were swapped． The "go" light was changed to green and the "take care" light was changed to white．
During these times， people travelled by train or in carts pulled by horses．Years later，when cars were built， people began to drive them because they could travel much faster than horses． However， the road rules for drivers were not very clear and many people were hurt crossing the roads．Yellow warning signs had to be placed beside the roads to remind drivers to take care and allow people to cross safely．
Today， towns and cities all over the world have traffic lights． Red and green lights match the signals used on the railways． Yellow lights are easy to see， so they are used to warn drivers that they should slow down and prepare to stop．
（1）Why was the color red used to mean"stop"？
A． It reminded people of traffic rules．
B． It helped trains run smoothly．
C． It gave people a warning of danger．
D． It was the first color people thought of．
（2）What does the underlined word "swapped" in Paragraph 3 mean？
A． Designed．
B． Exchanged．
C． Suggested．
D． Compared．
（3）In which order did the "take care" light develop？
a． A white light
b． A green light．
c． A yellow light．
A． a﹣b﹣c
B． b﹣c﹣a
C． a﹣c﹣b
D． b﹣a﹣c
（4）What is the passage mainly about？
A． The advantages of traffic lights．
B． The history of traffic lights．
C． The importance of traffic lights．
D． The meanings of traffic lights．
I remembered Julie coming to the front of the classroom after class one autumn day in September 1976. While most of the other students hurriedly left to enjoy the pleasant weather or to relax at the student union， Julie remained to ask me questions about the next week’s exam. She had clearly already done some serious studying.
Julie never made it to the exam. The day after our conversation， she was hit by a large truck as she rode a bike through a crossroads. I was sad to hear that Julie lay unconscious (昏迷的) in a hospital across town from our university.
Nurses silently came and went from Julie’s room. Her parents stood nearby quietly. Then the doctor entered the room and said to Julie’s parents and two brothers， “Your Julie has only a few hours to live.” He continued to ask， “Would you think about donating some of Julie’s organs (器官)?”
At the same time in a neighboring city， a woman called Mary was trying to see better in her small living room. Her eyes followed every movement of her lively two-year-old baby. This mother was storing up memories when she could no longer see her child. Several cities away， a young father called John was reading to his two sons in the hospital. However， he was told to have only weeks to live. His only hope was a kidney transplant (肾脏移植).
The two parents looked at each other， the doctor could see tears in their eyes. “Yes. Julie had once said she wanted to donate her organs in the event of her death. Julie always gave to others while she was alive. She would like to give in death.”
Within twenty-four hours， Mary was told that she would receive one of Julie’s eyes， and John was told to start preparing for a kidney transplant. Julie’s other organs would give life to other waiting patients.
“Julie died right after her twentieth birthday. Nothing could possibly be as heartbreaking as the death of your child，” says Julie’s mother. She continues， “But Julie’s life was a gift to us. Knowing that in her death， she gave the gift of life and sight to others is comforting to us. ”Which word can best describe Julie according to Paragraph 1?
| A．Hard-working. | B．Helpful. |
| C．Clever. | D．Selfish. |
According to the passage， we know that Julie ______.
| A．was a classmate of the writer’s |
| B．was the only child of her family |
| C．didn’t take the exam because of the accident |
| D．died at once at the scene of the accident |
The underlined word “comforting ” in the last paragraph means “______”.
| A．令人欣慰的 | B．有害的 | C．有益的 | D．明智的 |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Julie’s parents didn’t allow her to donate her organs. |
| B．Mary needed a kidney transplant to save her own life. |
| C．Julie prepared for the exam carefully before the accident. |
| D．John and Mary were patients in the same hospitals with Julie. |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．A girl’s whole life. |
| B．A family’s sad story. |
| C．The terrible truck accident. |
| D．The last gift in life. |
| Renault Ménage： This 2-seating luxury car provides a comfortable driving experience. But its powerful engine means you had better be prepared for a big fuel bill（燃油费用） each week. Its fantastic look will make you the focus of all attention. Company： Renault， France. Price：$85，000 |
 |
| Fiat 500： Although expensive， it will soon pay for itself with the money you save on petrol(汽油). It has the most efficient and cleanest petrol powered engine. It has 4 seats and it is perfect for a family. Company： Fiat， Italy. Price：$35，000 |
 |
| Land Rover Discovery： With 7 seats， this car is suitable for all driving conditions. It has good control for driving in the city and the power for rough roads and carrying heavy things. But it consumes（消耗）lots of fuel. Company： Land Rover， Britain. Price：$51，999 |
 |
| Hyundai i20： 4 seats inside. Perfect for short journeys but doesn’t have the power to make long distance driving enjoyable and comfortable. Still， at this price you can't complain and you'll be smiling when you have to fill up the tank too. It really saves fuel. Company： Hyundai， Korea. Price：$8，000 |
 |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Each car above has 4 seats. |
| B．The four cars are made by European companies. |
| C．Land Rover Discovery is the second most expensive of above. |
| D．Both Renault Ménage and Fiat 500 consume lots of fuel. |
John needs to drive his two sons to school and he likes European cars. What may he choose?
| A．Hyundai i20 or Fiat 500. |
| B．Fiat 500 or Land Rover Discovery. |
| C．Renault Ménage or Fiat 500. |
| D．Land Rover Discovery or Hyundai i20. |
Which of the following cars are greener?
| A．Hyundai i20 and Fiat 500. |
| B．Renault Ménage and Fiat 500. |
| C．Land Rover Discovery and Hyundai i20. |
| D．Renault Ménage and Land Rover Discovery. |
If you choose a Land Rover Discovery， you will__________.
| A．spend less money on fuel |
| B．take 5 people at most each time |
| C．be able to drive on rough roads |
| D．be more friendly to the environment |
Where can we see this passage?
| A．In a novel. | B．In a news report. |
| C．In a science magazine. | D．In an advertisement. |
Mark Twain is someone Americans are taught to love. Older relatives, English teachers and the media always praise him. But when you actually take the time to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you find that his work is more wonderful than you could ever imagine.
The novel describes a young boy named Tom Sawyer growing up in a small town along the Mississippi River. He explores the countryside on a riverboat with his friends, falls in love with girls, starts secret clubs and searches for treasure. Twain’s idea of childhood is magical – a time of imagination, wonder and, of course, adventure.
More importantly, through the eyes of Tom Sawyer, Twain cleverly makes fun of US culture. For example, Tom hates going to church, and Twain uses scenes of Tom there to mock religion(宗教) and its old traditions.
Twain’s writing is full of these kinds of critical (批判的) points about culture and politics(政治). That’s why he is so loved in the US – he wasn’t afraid to state his opinions, and he did so clearly.
He also believed strongly in women’s right to vote in elections and gave a famous speech on the subject, called “Votes for Women”, in 1901.
“Tom was a great hero once more——the pet of the old, the envy of the young,” Twain writes in Tom Sawyer. But he could just as well be describing himself.According to the writer, after reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you are likely to think ___.
| A．it’s not worth all the praise |
| B．it’s as wonderful as you imagined |
| C．it’s better to read it with teachers |
| D．it’s even better than you imagined |
What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
| A．A brief(简要的) description of the novel. |
| B．Where Twain’s idea of childhood comes from. |
| C．How naughty and adventurous Tom Sawyer is. |
| D．What makes Tom Sawyer’s adventures so wonderful. |
What does the underlined word “mock” mean?
| A．make changes to | B．make fun of |
| C．give reasons for | D．give examples of |
Why is Twain so loved in the US according to the article?
| A．He supported women’s right to vote. |
| B．He wrote bad things about US wars abroad. |
| C．He criticized American culture and society(社会) clearly and cleverly. |
| D．He showed readers a magical childhood that everyone would love. |
Which is the best title of this passage?
| A．Mark Twain never stops laughing at US society |
| B．Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer |
| C．Mark Twain’s life |
| D．The Adventures of Tom Sawyer |
In some science fiction movies, evil robots refuse to die, no matter how hard people fight back.
Now science fiction has become science fact. For the first time, scientists have made a robot that can take a beating (挨打) and keep on going. Scientists from Cornell University made the robot, which looks like a spider with four legs.
Until now, even the most advanced (先进的) robot was almost certain to break down when it was damaged. That is because its computer inside simply doesn’t know how to make the machine work after its shape has changed.
To deal with this problem, the scientists put eight motors (发动机) and two sensors (传感器) that read how the machine is working. They all give signals to the machine’s software. Using this information, the computer can then figure out the machine’s shape at any moment.
The new technology is a big advance in robot-making, scientists say, and it’s far from scary. It may someday help scientists create better artificial (假的) arms and legs and give new freedom to people who lose them. It might also help scientists understand how people and animals figure out their own sense of place in space.
“It has been difficult to design robots that can work well when the environment changes or when it’s damaged,” says Olaf Sporns of Indiana University in US. “With this work, we are nearer to solving this problem.”Why do robots easily break down when they are damaged?
| A．They cannot repair themselves. |
| B．The computer has changed a lot. |
| C．They have no computers inside. |
| D．The computer cannot work if the robot changes. |
The new technology allows the robot to _________.
| A．do housework for humans |
| B．keep work ing after being damaged |
| C．remember a lot of information |
| D．tell people where it is |
The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 5 refers to ________.
| A．sensors | B．robots |
| C．arms and legs | D．scientists |
How do the sensors in the robot work?
| A．They can replace the computer when it’s broken. |
| B．They can find out where the damage comes from. |
| C．They help the computer learn the robot’s condition. |
| D．They can send signals to the person who uses the robot. |
The passage is probably from_____________.
| A．an advertisement | B．a tour guide |
| C．an application | D．a newspaper |
My sister Alli and I have been trying to get people to stop dropping cigarette butts(烟蒂) for seven years. One day, we were walking in our hometown and saw hundreds of cigarette butts on the ground. They made the town look so ugly that we decided to start a group to make people stop dropping butts. We called it “No Butts About It”. At first, we drew pictures with “The Earth is Not Your Ashtray(烟灰缸)” written on them. We put the pictures around our hometown---in parks, by beaches, and along roads. We wanted to make people understand that dropping butts hurts the environment. Most smokers don’t think that dropping butts hurts the earth. But it does! All rubbish does. Later, we wrote to companies and asked them for money to help us. We used the money to buy ashtrays to give smokers. We wanted smokers to carry the ashtrays with them so they didn’t have to drop butts. At the moment, we are trying to get cigarette companies to put an ashtray in each pack of cigarettes. Some companies want to do it.
Many people have started to join our group since it began. Today there are 45 other “No Butts About It” groups in America. And there are even groups in England, Australia and India! Many newspapers have written about my sister and I over the last seven years. And we have won many prizes for our good work.
But we are not interested in prizes. We just want to make the earth a better and cleaner place for animals, plants and people. One day it will be.“No Butts About It” started___________
| A．seventeen years ago. | B．seven years ago. |
| C．seventy years ago | D．It’s not mentioned. |
Why did they start the group?
| A．Because they don’t like cigarette. |
| B．Because they want to make money. |
| C．Because they want people to know them. |
| D．Because they want to protect the environment. |
How many “No Butts About It” groups are there in America?
| A．7 | B．45 | C．46 | D．49. |
The writer lives in_________
| A．America. | B．England. | C．Australia. | D．India. |
What did the writer do the following EXCEPT__________?
| A．starting a group called “No Butts About It” |
| B．writing to companies to ask them for help |
| C．asking newspapers to write about her sister and her |
| D．managing to get some cigarette companies to put an ashtray in each cigarette pack |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号