Audrey Hepburn won an Academy Award as Best Actress for her first major American movie, Roman Holiday, which was released in 1953. But she is remembered as much for her aid work as for her acting.
Born in Belgium in 1929, Audrey’s father was British and her mother was Dutch.
Audrey was sent to live at a British school for part of her childhood. During World WarⅡ, she lived and studied in the Netherlands. Her mother thought it would be safe from German attacks. Audrey studied dance as a teenager and during college when she returned to London after the war. But she realized she wasn’t going to be a ballerina. So she began taking acting parts in stage shows. Later she began to get small parts in movies.
But it was Audrey Hepburn’s move to America that brought her true fame. In 1951 she played the character “Gigi” in the Broadway play of the same name to great critical praise. Two years later, Roman Holiday made her a star at the age of 24.
Audrey made more than 25 movies. Among her most popular roles was Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961. Three years later she played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
She was married two times and had one son by each husband. In 1989, the UN Children’s Fund named Audrey a goodwill ambassador. She travelled all over the world in support of UNICEF projects. The UN agency said she was a tireless worker. She often gave 15 interviews a day to gain money and support for UNICEF projects.
Audrey Hepburn often said her loyalty to UNICEF was the result of her experiences as a child during World WarⅡ. She said she knew what it was like to be starving and to be saved by international aid. She was a goodwill ambassador until her death in 1993 from colon cancer.
In Paragraph 1, “her aid work” means .
A.making movies |
B.taking acting parts in stage shows |
C.winning an Academy Award as Best Actress |
D.acting as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF |
The reason why Audrey lived and studied in the Netherlands was that .
A.she wanted to be a ballerina |
B.her parents were from Britain |
C.the education there was excellent |
D.it was safe there |
is NOT mentioned in the passage about Audrey Hepburn.
A.Marriage | B.Identity |
C.Contribution | D.Religion |
is the right order for Audrey’s life.
①The first time she began to play in movies.
②She returned to London from the Netherlands.
③She won an Academy Award as Best Actress.
④She travelled all over the world on support of UNICEF projects.
⑤She played a part in My Fair Lady.
A.②①③⑤④ | B.①②③⑤④ |
C.②①⑤③④ | D.①②⑤③④ |
Long after the 1998 World Cup was won, disappointed fans were still cursing(咒骂) the disputed refereeing (裁判) decisions that denied victory to their team. A researcher was appointed to study the performance of some top referees.
The researcher organized an experimental tournament (锦标赛) involving four youth teams. Each match lasted an hour, divided into three periods of 20 minutes during which different referees were in charge.
Observers noted down the referees’ errors, of which there were 61 over the tournament. Converted to a standard match of 90 minutes, each referee made almost 23 mistakes, a remarkably high number.
The researcher then studied the videotapes to analyse the matches in detail. Surprisingly, he found that errors were more likely when the referees were close to the incident. When the officials got it right, they were, on average, 17 meters away from the action. The average distance in the case of errors was 12 meters. The research shows the optimum (最佳的) distance is about 20 meters.
There also seemed to be an optimum speed. Correct decisions came when the referees were moving at a speed of about 2 meters per second. The average speed for errors was 4 meters per second.
If FIFA, football's international ruling body, wants to improve the standard of refereeing at the next World Cup, it should encourage referees to keep their eyes on the action from a distance, rather than rushing to keep up with the ball, the researcher argues.
He also says that FIFA’s insistence that referees should retire at age 45 may be misguided. If keeping up with the action is not so important, their physical condition is less critical.
The experiment conducted by the researcher was meant to _______.
A.reexamine the rules for football refereeing |
B.analyse the causes of errors made by football referees |
C.set a standard for football refereeing |
D.review the decisions of referees at the 1998 World Cup |
The findings of the experiment show that _______.
A.errors are more likely when a referee keeps close to the ball |
B.the farther the referee is from the incident, the fewer the errors |
C.the more slowly the referee runs, the more likely will errors occur |
D.errors are less likely when a referee stays in one spot |
The word “officials” (Line 2, Para. 4) most probably refers to _______.
A.the researchers involved in the experiment |
B.the inspectors of the football tournament |
C.the referees of the football tournament |
D.the observers at the site of the experiment |
What is one of the possible conclusions of the experiment?
A.The ideal retirement age for an experienced football referee is 45. |
B.Age should not be the chief consideration in choosing a football referee. |
C.A football referee should be as young and energetic as possible. |
D.An experienced football referee can do well even when in poor physical condition. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。
(A)
I had to knock on the taxi to get his attention.Finally,the driver,a man about 60,looked up from behind the wheel and apologized,“I’m sorry,but I was reading a letter.” He sounded as if he had a cold or a cough.
Since I was in no hurry,I told him to finish his letter.He shook his head,explaining that he had already read it several times and almost knew it by heart.Curious,I asked whether it was from a child or maybe a grandchild.“This isn’t family,”he replied.“though he might just as well have been a regular member of the family.Old Ed and I grew up together.”
They were always friends.But since he moved away from the neighborhood 30 years ago,it’d generally just been postcards at Christmas time between them.A couple of weeks ago,Ed died.“I should have kept in touch.” He repeated this,more to himself than to me.To comfort him,I said sometimes we just didn’t seem to find the time.“But we used to find the time,” he said.“Take a look.” He handed the letter over to me.
The first sentence “I’ve been meaning to write for some time,but I’ve always delayed it.” reminded me of myself.It went on to say that he often thought about the good times they had had together.When I read the part where it said “Your friendship really means a lot to me,more than I can say because I’m not good at saying things like that”,I found myself nodding in agreement.
We had gone several kilometers and were almost at my hotel, so I read the last paragraph: “So I thought you’d like to know that I was thinking of you.” And it was ended with “Your Old Friend, Tom.”
“I thought your friend’s name was Ed,” I said.
“I’m Tom,” he explained. “It’s a letter I wrote to Ed before I knew he’d died. I never put it in the mailbox. I guess I should have written it sooner.” His face was pale as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.
When I got to my hotel room I didn’t unpack right away.I had to write a letter and post it.
Who wrote the letter?
A.Tom |
B.Old Ed. |
C.The author. |
D.The driver’s grandchild. |
It can be inferred from the passage that the driver regretted_____.
A.missing Ed’s funeral |
B.moving away from his neighborhood |
C.forgetting to send Ed Christmas cards |
D.not being able to keep in touch with Ed |
From Paragraph 4,we learn that the author _______.
A.often fails to write to his friends |
B.has no intention to write to his friends |
C.had many great moments with his friends |
D.was good at expressing his feelings to friends |
What message does the passage probably try to convey?
A.Comfort your friends when they are feeling down. |
B.Life is unpredictable so live each day as if it were your last. |
C.Remember to always mail your letters after expressing your words. |
D.Always make time to value and experience your lasting friendships. |
There are three kinds of goals: short-term, intermediate and long-term goals. Short-term goals are those that usually deal with present activities. Such goals can be achieved in a week or two, or possible months. It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation (基础), our long-term goals cannot be achieved without the achievement of solid short-term goals. Upon completing our short-term goals, we should date the time and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed.
The intermediate goals build on the foundation of the short-term goals. They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school years, or they could extend for several years. Any time you move a step at a time, you never allow yourself to become discouraged. As you complete each step, you will have more belief in your ability to grow and succeed.
Long-term goals may be related to our dreams of future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static (静态的) thing. We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.
The long-term goals mean______.
A.something static and easy to get if we complete our short-term goals |
B.something easy to reach if we complete a short-term goal in time |
C.nothing but our dreams of future |
D.a lot, such as a dream, and aspiration (热望) or a wish in our life |
When we complete each step of our goals, ______.
A.we will win final success | B.we become down-hearted |
C.we should encourage ourselves | D.we should think about changing our goals |
It is the most important for us students to have ___________ first.
A.long-term goals | B.intermediate goals |
C.short-term goals | D.dreams of future |
Which of the following titles is best for this passage?
A.Three Kinds of Goals | B.How to Reach Goals |
C.Changeable Goals | D.Moveable Goals |
A traveller was staying in an Egyptian village. One day, she held up her camera to take pictures of the children. Suddenly the young ones began to shout at her. The traveller's face turned red and she apologized to the head for what she was doing, and told him she had forgotten that people in some places believed a person would lose his soul if his picture was taken. She explained to him the operation of a camera for a long time. Several times the head tried to say something, but he couldn't. When she believed that the head didn't fear any longer, the traveller then let him speak. With a smile, he said, "The children were trying to tell you that you forgot to take off the lens(镜头) cap!"
The children shouted when the traveller was taking pictures of them because ___?
A.they didn't want to stop playing |
B.the traveller forgot to take off the cap on her head |
C.they didn't want to have their pictures taken |
D.the traveller was not doing well with her camera |
The traveller made an apology to the head because _____.
A.she thought it was not right to take people's pictures without telling them beforehand(事先) |
B.the children would lose their souls |
C.she had stayed in the village too long |
D.she didn't take a picture of the head first |
The traveller explained how to use a camera to the head because _____.
A.the head was very interested in her camera |
B.the head wanted to learn to take pictures |
C.she was afraid of the head |
D.she wanted the head not to worry about what she was doing |
When the head smiled, it's clear that _____.
A.the children wanted to play with her |
B.the traveller didn't know what the children meant |
C.he wanted the traveller to tell him something else |
D.the traveller didn't let him speak |
Which of the following is NOT right?
A.The traveller knew something about people in some countries. |
B.The children wouldn't mind if the traveller took pictures of them. |
C.The head was afraid that the traveller's camera would hurt the children. |
D.The traveller didn't understand why the children shouted. |
They once seemed more at home on the busy streets of Asia like Delhi, Calcutta and Bangkok but cycle powered rickshaws (人力车) can now be seen taking people across town in many European cities. Many people believe that rickshaws are a good way of experiencing a city close-up, while also cutting down on traffic jams and pollution. In Berlin, one of the first cities to introduce this new model of transport, more than 200 bike-taxis go along at 15km per hour, past many tourist attractions and city parks.
“It is completely environmentally friendly; we have new models with an engine to help the driver up the hills but they use renewable energy.” said a spokesman for VELOTAXI, the leading rickshaw company which has carried a quarter of a million people this year.
While the city still has 7,000 motor-taxis, rickshaw company officials say their taxis’ green ideas, speed and safety make them more than just a tourist attraction. While now increasingly out of fashion in Delhi, Berlin people have eagerly accepted the new fleet since their launch in 1997.
“It’s better than a taxi, better than a bus, better than the train,” said ULF Lehman, 36, as he leapt out of a rickshaw near the world famous Brandenburg gate. “ It feels so free.”
“This is something out of the ordinary, you feel you are on holiday in Bangkok instead of Berlin,” said another traveler.
In Amsterdam, driver Peter Jancso said people like to be driven around in his bright yellow rickshaw and pretend to be a queen in a golden carriage. "I like my passengers to feel important," he said as he dropped off another passenger. Another visitor noted how cheap it was compared with a normal taxi.
Although increasingly popular in Europe, it is the opposite in India, where hand-pulled rickshaws are considered inhuman and a symbol of India's backward past.
Nearly 500 bike-rickshaws are running in London and are not required to pay the city's road tax but things may change as other taxi drivers complain of unfair treatment.
Where are rickshaws becoming more popular?
A.Delhi, Berlin, Paris. | B.Amsterdam, Bangkok, Delhi. |
C.Athens, London, Berlin. | D.Berlin, Amsterdam, London. |
Why are rickshaws no longer as widely used in India as in the past?
A.They are a reminder of a bad period in India's history. |
B.They have been banned because they are inefficient. |
C.The streets of India are too crowded for them to move through easily. |
D.Indians now prefer to travel by car because they are richer. |
What does the underlined sentence "This is something out of the ordinary, you feel you are on holiday in
Bangkok instead of Berlin" suggest?
A.The passenger didn't like taking a rickshaw as it reminded him of Bangkok. |
B.The passenger enjoyed being on holiday in Berlin more than in Bangkok. |
C.The passenger was impressed when taking a rickshaw and considered it unusual. |
D.The passenger disapproved of rickshaws because they were not original to Berlin. |
What is the author's attitude towards rickshaws?
A.He gives no personal opinion. |
B.He believes they will be of no use. |
C.He thinks they will reduce pollution. |
D.He thinks they are old-fashioned. |
Three Japanese tourists taking a holiday in Australia got stuck when their GPS told them they could drive from the mainland to an island, failing to mention the 15 kilometres of water and mud in between.
As they drove their hired car from Moreton Bay in Queensland to nearby North Stradbroke Island, they started to notice the firm gravel(沙石)surface they were driving on giving way to the renowned bay mud.However, being confident that their GPS would direct them to a road soon, they decided to plough on, managing to travel around 500 metres before their Hyundai Getz(现代汽车)was up to its axles tires in mud.To make matters worse, the tide started to come in and soon forced them to seek help and abandon the vehicle.Just four hours later the car was trapped in two metres of water —— to the great amusement of onlookers on the shore and passengers on passing boats and ferries.
Yuzu Noda, 21, said she was listening to the GPS and “it told us we could drive down there.It kept saying it would navigate us to a road.But we got stuck…there’s lots of mud.” She and her travel companions Tomonari Saeki, 22, and Keita Osada, 21, instead had to give up their plans for a day trip to the island and headed back to the Gold Coast of a lift from the RACQ tow truck(吊车)driver who was called to the trapped car.No such luck for the hired car though – after assessing the situation, no attempt was made to recover it.The students from Tokyo, who are due to return home tomorrow, said the experience would not put them off returning to Australia for another visit.“We want to come back to Australia again.Everyone is very nice, even today.” Ms Yuzu said.
Remaining excited, Mr. Tomonari joked that the car may have got stuck because it was built in Korea.“Maybe if it was Japanese it would be okay,” he said.He added, “It has rained every day on our six day holiday.Hopefully next time we come back it will be sunny.” The car was covered by insurance, but the tourists will have to pay up to about $1500 in extra charges.
The three Japanese tourists got stuck because ______.
A.there was no way to the island |
B.their GPS was broken during their journey |
C.their GPS had given the wrong information |
D.their car was made in Korea instead of Japan |
They didn’t abandon their car until ______.
A.there came the tide |
B.they got stuck in the mud |
C.some onlookers went to save them |
D.they managed to travel around 500 metres |
How did these Japanese students get back?
A.They had to walk back to their living place. |
B.They had to repair their GPS and drove back. |
C.They had to take a lift from the tow truck driver. |
D.They had to turn to passengers on passing boats and ferries. |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A.The car was left where it was trapped. |
B.The passengers saved these students in the end. |
C.Mr. Tomonari got very frustrated after the journey. |
D.The car was covered by insurance so they didn’t have to pay any money. |
Ask any student to say one thing they know about Charles Dickens, and it is very likely they will say Oliver Twist. His classic tale of a poor orphan boy strikes at the heart of all those who have ever wanted "more", as Oliver did.
And now, Dickens' classic scenes of the lives of the Victorian British poor will appear in a big screen movie, "Oliver Twist," an adaptation of his classic tale directed by Roman Polanski.
The new film is not meant for younger viewers, and is meant for children over 13. For those old enough to enjoy it, however, the film shows just how long people have been enjoying Dickens' remarkable literature. His short stories and essays began appearing in magazines in 1833. "Oliver Twist" was published in 1837 - more than 165 years ago.
"Oliver Twist" tells the story of an orphan forced to live in a workhouse headed by the awful Mr Bumble, who cheats the boys who work there out of their already low pay. Oliver decides to escape to the streets of London, where he meets a thief called Fagin, played by Sir Ben Kingsley, who leads him into a world of crime. Several of Dickens' books have been made into films and television series, including 2002's "Nicholas Nickleby" and 2000's "David Copperfield." And several versions of "A Christmas Carol" have entertained audiences for years.
In his novels, Dickens wrote about several important issues. He talked about the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1824 in "Oliver Twist"; the French Revolution in "A Tale of Two Cities"; and helping the poor in "Hard Times.” One of Dickens' best-known books is the first Christmas book he wrote - "A Christmas Carol" (1843), about a mean man.
We thought this would be a good time to take a look at the man behind the words and see what kind of experiences helped shape and affect one of the best — known writers of all time.
The “workhouse” in paragraph 4 should be ___
A.a building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime they have committed |
B.a place where dancing is taught or trained for international performance |
C.a building where very poor people were sent to live and given work to do |
D.a place where films are made or music is recorded |
How many works are mentioned in the passage?
A. 3 B. 4 C 5 D. 6
The passage show many things about Oliver except that____
A.he is forced to live in a workhouse by Roman Polanski |
B.he meets a thief, Fagin, in the streets of London |
C.he lives a hard life in his childhood |
D.Fagin trains and forces Oliver to do some crimes |
The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ___
A.Dickens’s birth and schooling |
B.Dickens’s work experience |
C.Dickens’s works and themes |
D.Dickens’s influence and contribution |
The film stars out as a normal day at a typical American high school. Friends chat in the dining room and boys play football. But there's big surprise when the movie ends with two students going crazy in the school-shooting and killing people.
This is Elephant. It stars real school kids. American director Gus Van Sant had no ready-made lines. The student actors made up their own dialogue, with Van Sant asking them to base their characters on their own lives.
Although it may not sound very high quality, the film won the Palme d'Or (金棕奖) for Best Film and the award for Best Director at the Cannes film festival.
The film is based on the shootings at a high school in the US, where two boys killed 13 people and then themselves in 1999.
The title of the movie refers to the old expression about a problem that's as hard to ignore as an elephant in the house.
The film takes a close look at a few hours in the lives of the victims and the killers. It shows how high school is a different experience for everyone---fun and friendly, or hard and lonely.
In many ways, the two boys, who carry out the shooting, act like ordinary kids. They joke around with one boy's mother as she serves them cakes and play the piano.
But there're hints of the anger they feel inside. One of the boys is bullied (欺负) at school. The other plays violent video games. But Van Sant isn't blaming their killings on either bullying or violent games. In fact, the film doesn't offer any reason for why school violence happens.
"I didn't want to explain anything. It's up to the audience to draw its own conclusions," said the 51-year-old director.
The lines of the film were ________.
A.given by the director |
B.created by student actors |
C.thought out by the director during the acting |
D.carefully designed by professional people |
The film doesn't tell why school shootings happen________.
A.so as to leave room for the audience to think and judge |
B.because life itself is the problem maker |
C.because the mental problems of students are hard to explain |
D.but there are some hints of the reasons |
The film is named Elephant because ________.
A.an elephant is always gentle and never causes trouble |
B.an elephant is a symbol of big problems in American schools |
C.elephant is used to suggest that the school crime is a big problem |
D.the two boys liked elephants when alive |
What’s the passage mainly about?
A.It shows American school life. |
B.It introduces the film Elephant. |
C.It tells people to be careful while in peace. |
D.It reports a school killing in a US school. |
As you grow older,you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions--like whether to cut class or try cigarettes.Making decisions on your own is hard enough,but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder.People who are your age,like your classmates,are called peers.When they try to influence how you act,to get you to do something,it’s called peer pressure.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other.Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system.Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book,and now everyone’s reading it.These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways.For example,a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure,but you can do it.Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this.If you choose friends who don’t cut class,smoke cigarettes,or lie to their parents,then you probably won’t do these things either,even if other kids do.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle,talk to someone you trust.Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two.
For whom is the passage most probably written?
A.Students |
B.Parents |
C.Teachers |
D.Doctors |
In the last three paragraphs,the author mainly_____.
A.explains why friendship is so important |
B.gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure |
C.discusses how peers influence us |
D.shows how to make more good friends |
Which of following may help handle peer pressure?
A.Spending more time with classmates. |
B.Taking up more relaxing hobbies. |
C.Choosing friends with no bad habits. |
D.Helping others who are in trouble. |
What is the topic of the passage?
A.Friendship |
B.Making decisions |
C.Self-confidence |
D.Peer pressure |
阅读下列短文,选出最佳选项。 Three-year-old Teddy Lasry was sleeping in his cowboy outfit (套装) yesterday at his family’s Fifth Ave.apartment when he shot up in bed screaming.A 3-foot-long black-and-white snake twisted around his left arm and had just bitten his little finger.
“The babysitter (a person taking care of children while their parents are away for a short time) was frightened to death,” said Teddy’s father, David Lasry, who, along with his wife, Evelyn, was at work when the snake appeared about 4:00 pm.
The horrified babysitter called 911 and the building’s doorman.The doorman and two cable TV workers helped take the snake off the boy’s arm and put it in a garbage bag.Police rushed Teddy to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he spent two hours attached to a heart monitor as a precaution in case the snake was poisonous.It wasn’t.Experts at the snakebite treatment center at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where policemen took the snake, found out it was a non-poisonous California king snake.
But how did it end up in Teddy’s bed?
A little detective work determined that the snake had escaped two weeks ago from its cage in the apartment of a doctor whose family lives four floors below the Lasrys.The apologetic owner said his son’s pet snake likely traveled up the water pipes and into his neighbor’s apartment.“It’s a very gentle, very harmless snake,” he said.“It’s handled by our family all the time.”
David Lasry believed the pet was simply hungry after two weeks of wandering.Evelyn said her son seems to have overcome his fright by thinking of himself as a hero cowboy as he rode in the back of the police car to the hospital.
“I told Teddy he’s a pretty snake, a nice pet snake who got out of his cage,” Evelyn said.“But he asked, ‘Why did he bite my finger, Mamma?’ And I said, ‘Because he saw that you are a big boy, Teddy, in your cowboy outfit and he got scared.’”
What did the babysitter do after Teddy was bitten by a snake?
A.She ran out of the apartment. |
B.She called the TV company. |
C.She made an emergency call. |
D.She took the snake off Teddy’s arm. |
We can learn from the passage that the snake _______.
A.was poisonous |
B.was kept in a cage by its owner |
C.was deserted by its owner |
D.escaped to the apartment |
From the passage, we know _______.
A.Teddy needed a heart machine to stay alive for two hours |
B.Teddy was awake when the snake arrived |
C.Teddy’s mother was at home when the snake turned up |
D.the snake was used to being touched |
Teddy probably believed he was attacked because _______.
A.his parents weren’t at home |
B.he was asleep the snake |
C.was scared of him |
D.the snake was hungry |
B
Populations and Land (1987) |
||||
|
Area in |
Percent |
Population |
Percent |
|
Square miles |
Cultivated |
In millions |
forested |
United States |
3615104 |
20 |
243.8 |
28 |
Canada |
3851792 |
5 |
25.9 |
33 |
United Kingdom |
94525 |
29 |
56.8 |
9 |
Australia |
2967896 |
6 |
16.2 |
14 |
India |
1269340 |
51 |
800.3 |
21 |
China |
3705390 |
11 |
1062.0 |
14 |
Which two countries are the closest to each other in area?
A.The US and Canada | B.The US and China |
C.China and Canada | D.India and China |
_____ has the highest population density(密度), and _____ has the second highest.
A.China, India | B.India, China |
C.India, the US | D.China, the US |
Which two countries have the closest percentage of cultivated land?
A.The US and the United Kingdom. |
B.The US and China |
C.Australia and Canada. |
D.Australia and China |
There are _____ countries whose cultivated land percentage is larger than the forest percentage.
A.2 | B.3 | C.4 | D.5 |
For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet plane fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.
Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel is something to be enjoyed, not endured . The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever-changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow window of the airplane. The soft lighting, in-flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.
Then there is the time spent being “processed” at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move again to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being “processed” at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent. No wonder, then, that the modern high-speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.
Man, however, is now a world traveler and can not turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people’s lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing—or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master.
What does the writer try to express in Paragraph1?
A.Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages. |
B.The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short. |
C.The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams. |
D.Man has been fond of travelling rather than staying in one place. |
How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph2?
A.By giving instructions. |
B.By analyzing cause and effect. |
C.By following the order of time. |
D.By giving examples. |
According to Paragraph 3, passengers are turning back to modern high-speed trains because______.
A.they pay less for the tickets |
B.they feel safer during the travel |
C.they can enjoy higher speed of travel |
D.they don’t have to be “processed” |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Air travel benefits people and industries. |
B.Train Travel has some advantages over air travel. |
C.Great changes have taken place in modern travel. |
D.The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost. |
When I was a child, I often dreamed of the time when I could leave home and escape to the city. We lived on a farm and, in the winter especially, we were quite cut off from the outside world. As soon as I left school, I packed my bags and moved to the capital. However, I soon discovered that city life has its problems too.
One big disadvantage is money---it costs so much to go out, not to mention basics like food and housing. Another disadvantage is pollution. I suffer from asthma(哮喘), and at times the air is so bad that I am afraid to go outside. Then there is the problem of travelling round. Although I have a car, I seldom use it because of the traffic jams. One choice is to go by bicycle, but that can be quite dangerous.
Of course there are advantages. First, there is so much to do in the city, whatever your tastes in culture or entertainment. Besides, there are wonderful jobs and greater chances of moving to a more important job or position. Finally, if you like shopping, the variety of goods is very surprising---and, what is more, shops are often only a short walk away.
Is life better then, in the city? Perhaps it is, when you are in your teens(十几岁) or twenties. However, as you get older, and especially if you have small children, the peace of the countryside may seem preferable. I certainly hope to move back there soon.
What was the writer always thinking about when he was a child?
A.Staying on the farm |
B.Moving to the countryside |
C.Leaving home for the city |
D.Running away from the school |
Which of the following is true about the writer?
A.He is very old now. |
B.He is in good health. |
C.He prefers driving a car. |
D.He lives in the city now. |
In the passage, the writer tries to _______.
A.express his opinions about way of life |
B.describe his life in the countryside |
C.show an interest in the outside world |
D.persuade the reader to live in the city |
How is the passage mainly developed?
A.By inferring | B.By comparing |
C.By listing examples | D.By giving explanations |
根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项. 选项中有两项为多余选项. 请将答案涂在答题卡上.
71 Because, from what I could see, it seemed that grown-ups often forgot. I never wanted to forget --- I wanted to be able to remind other adults and myself when the time came. I began consciously(有意识地) thinking this at quite an early age.
As soon as I was fully aware (意识到) of myself, I regarded me as a little person and liked adults who thought of and treated me the same way. I didn’t have a doll and I didn’t want one. I wanted animal toys, even a single animal. Why wouldn’t my parents give me the one thing I wanted? 72
Instead, my dad somehow managed to buy me a full set of encyclopedia(百科全书) and books with maps and color pictures long before I could read. Well, guess what? I learned to read without realizing it! Later, I found out when I started school and it all came so easy especially geography. 73 Because of all the books my father bought me, I knew a lot of words that other children didn’t know at my age.
I love words. They opened up new worlds for me. 74 Parents, please make sure your kids have a computer. Let them explore — as safely as possible— let them do their own things and discover the world.
Now, most kids lead a happy life. They can get what they want from their parents. But children should learn to be independent. 75 Be independent to do your own things.
A.Because of them, I read and thought, and today, I write. |
B.When I was a child, I promised myself to try to remember as much as I could. |
C.I listened and heard everything, even if I didn’t understand everything. |
D.I nearly knew every place on the map like the teacher. |
E. But more than anything, it made me feel uncomfortable and I knew it wasn’t nice.
F. Later, I knew we didn’t have much money, but how expensive could a toy be?
G. Be independent to learn some useful knowledge.