高中英语日常生活类阅读试题

In 2006, a large number of new Internet sites became popular around the world. Some of these are for communication, others for entertainment.
The blog is one form of communication that increased in popularity. Through these personal websites, people can share their lives, ideas and opinions on the Internet. People of all ages have their own blogs. For young people, they are a way to show their writing and other forms of self-expression. Blogs also connect people with other people who have the same interests. For example, teachers use blogs to share ideas with other teachers’, as well as experiences and concerns about their work.
YouTube is another Internet site that became more popular last year. This website lets anyone create, share and watch short videos. These include videos of people singing or dancing, or animals doing funny things. Three young men created YouTube almost two years ago as a personal video sharing service. They recently sold it to Google for more than one and a half billion dollars.
Games and entertainment also became a larger part of the Internet last year. One Internet social site is called Second Life. It is an online world in which computer users create a new self and live a different life. They get married, build homes, operate businesses, buy and sell goods, work, play and attend school.
People also take part in fantasy sports leagues with the help of the Internet. A fantasy sport is a game in which each member of a group acts as the owner of a team. Each owner creates a team of real-life professional players to compete against other teams in the league. More than fifteen million American adults play fantasy sports. The industry earns more than one billion dollars each year from publications, memberships and other costs.
The passage is mainly about __________.

A．the most popular Internet technology in 2006

B．some new ways for people to communicate or have fun on the Internet

C．one online game called Second Life

D．the high price of playing online

Who is the owner of YouTube now?

A．Three young men.

B．Google.

C．Computer users.

D．Yahoo.

Whom does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．The people who are interested in blogs.

B．The people who play games on YouTube.

C．The people who play Second Life.

D．The people who are created in Second Life.

What do we know from the passage?

A．Teachers can share ideas, experiences and concerns about their work with other teachers on any website.

B．More than fifteen million American teenagers play fantasy sports.

C．Second Life helps people get married, buy and sell goods, work, play and attend school in real life.

D．Fantasy sports, a game in which each member of a group acts as the owner of a team, is very popular around the world.

The bus is a usable form of transportation all over the world because we can easily take it to go everywhere. Also, we do not need to worry about danger on a long-distance trip. Now, we have comfortable buses in London. I would like to describe how comfortable they are. First, the number of seats on a bus has been reduced from 44 to 19. The reason why the number of seats is now 19 is that the seats have been changed to big and comfortable sofas.
Originally, they changed the normal seats to airplane seats and took out ten seats from the buses. However, every customer wanted to have a more comfortable seat on the bus when they went on long-distance trips, so they changed them to sofas. Also, the owners of the bus companies wanted to make more money, so they tried to meet the passengers’ needs. They changed the airplane seats to sofas, so the number of seats is now 19.
As the new buses appear, the prices go up, too. The owners have many ideas, which you have probably never thought about before. Now they have bus attendants who serve water, snacks, newspapers, and towels.
Also, you can change the direction and the height of the sofa to make yourself more comfortable, and there is a service bell on each sofa. Moreover, some companies show movies on the buses. In addition, when you go on a long-distance trip, they have luxurious(豪华的) buses that have an LCD screen on each seat. That is not the only surprising thing on the bus. They also have different TV channels, movie channels, and seventy TV games for killing time while you are on the bus.
How many airplane seats did they put in a bus originally?

A．10 seats.

B．19 seats.

C．34 seats.

D．44 seats.

The direction and height of the sofas can be changed so that ______.
A. they can take up less space            B. they can hold more people
C. passengers can feel more comfortable   D. passengers can watch a movie
If you are thirsty and want to have a drink while sitting in the bus, you’d better _____.

A．go to the front of the bus to get it	B．get off the bus to buy some by yourself
C．change the direction of the seat	D．ring the bell on your sofa

Though there are fewer seats on the buses, _____.

A．the bus can pick up as many passengers as before

B．the owners get more money by offering better service

C．the bus fare remains the same as before

D．the bus is as crowded as it was before

Libraries everywhere in the world have always been people’s only access to important sources of information.  This historical function of libraries has worked out for centuries and has made libraries a necessity to people.  Now, that function has been called into question by the fast development of digital media over the past several decades. In order to continue to hold the public interest, libraries everywhere are forced to develop means of granting access to these expensive new services to average people.
In the past, the publishing industry maintained the rights of libraries to freely provide published materials on the condition that libraries bought so many of their books. Since the new electronic publications can easily be copied in their completeness by the library readers, the publishing industry is reconsidering its former support of the library system. There have even been attempts to stop libraries from delivering digital media.
In addition to the reluctant cooperation of the publishing industry, there is the problem that the newer forms of information are much more specialized than those which they replace. Deciding how to transfer already limited resources is increasingly difficult as there are more methods. While a single reference index(索引) might have covered an entire field in the past, now there are frequently several specialized indexes available in electronic form. Above all, in order to continue to make use of the newer technology, libraries must decide which kinds of material are most useful to the majority of their readers. There are many different solutions being applied, but only the process of trial and error will help find out the most effective method.
（Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN 20 WORDS）
1. What has been called into question?
2. In the past, publishers cooperate with libraries because ______________.
3. The most important way to use the new technology is to determine ________
4. According to the passage, how can best solutions be found?

Holidays
Holiday News
Vacations(空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season.
The Snowdonia Centre
The Snowdonia Centre for young mountain climbers has a mountain climbing lesson. The beginners’ costs are 57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost.
You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of mountain climbing adventure.
The world Sea Trip of a Lifetime
Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking, waiting and travelling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another.
On board the ship, you will be well taken care of . Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home.
During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板)，enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play.
You will visit all the places most people only dream about---from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong.
For a few thousand, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours.
What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?

A．Choose the holiday in Devon.	B．Go to the Snowdonia Centre.
C．Join the World Sea Trip of 2008.	D．Visit Acapulco and Hawaii.

In what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?

A．It provides chances of family gatherings.

B．It provides customers with good food.

C．It offers a sports lesson.

D．It offers comfortable rooms.

What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?

A．You can have free meals on deck every day.

B．You can sleep on a ship and tour many places.

C．You will have chances to watch and act in a play.

D．You have to do your own packing and unpacking.

Did you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s?  The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s．Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent than women．Right? Wrong．Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size．Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain．The brain consists of “grey matter” and “white matter”．While men have more of the latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes．
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women．This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time．When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time．
There are other important differences between two sexes．As white matter is the key to spatial tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things．“A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher．That may explain one of life’s great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for direction and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses（胎儿）are about nine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children as young as one．A boy would try to climb a barrier before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others．These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills．It may all go back to our ancestors, among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research．
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t．“The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it．”says a biologist．
Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph? ________．

A．Women’s brain is 10% less than men’s

B．Grey matter controls thinking in the brain．

C．Grey matter plays the same role as white matter．

D．Both sexes have the same amount of white matter．

What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs? ________．

A．Men do better dealing with one job at a time．

B．Women prefer doing many things at a time．

C．Women do not need to tell directions．

D．Men have weaker spatial abilities．

Which of the following do you agree with according to the fourth paragraph? _ 

A．More women take up jobs requiring speech skills

B．Young boys may be stronger than young girls．

C．Women may have stronger feelings than men．

D．Our ancestors needed more spatial skills．

What is the writer’s attitude in writing this passage? ________．

A．Defensive．

B．Objective．

C．Persuasive．

D．Supportive．

We are all interested in equality，but while some people try to protect the school and examination system in the name of equality，others，still in the name of equality，want only to destroy it．
Any society which is interested in equality of opportunity and standards of achievement must regularly test its pupils．The standards may be changed—no examination is perfect--but to have no external(外部的)tests or examinations would mean the end of equality and of standards．There are groups of people who oppose this view and who do not believe either in external examinations or in any contr schools or on teachers.This would mean that everything would depend on luck every pupll would depend on the efficiency(效率)，the ideal and the purpose of teacher．
Without external examinations， employers will 1ook for employees from highly respected schools and from families known to them--a form of favoritism will  replace equality．At the moment，the bright child from an ill—respected schoo1 can show certificates(证书)to prove he or she is suitable for a job，while the lack of a certificate shows the unsuitability of a dull child attanding a well—respected schoo1.This defence of excellence and opportunity would disappear if external examinations were taken away，and the bright child from a poor family would be a prisoner of his or her school’s fame(名誉)，unable to compete for employment with the child from the favored schoo1．
The opponents(对手)of the examination system suggest that examinations are an evil force because they show differences between pupils．According to these  people，there must be no special，different，academic class． They have even suggested that there should be no form of difference in sport or any other area：all jobs or posts should be filled by unsystematic selection．The selection would be made by people who themselves are probably selected by some computer．
The word “favoritism” in paragraph 3 is used to decribe the phenomenon that _____. 

A．bright children also need certificates to get satisfying jobs.

B．Pooor children with certificates are favored in job markets.

C．Children attending ordinary schools achieve great success.

D．children from well-respected schools tend to have good jobs.

What would happen if examinations were taken away according to the author?    

A．Children’s job opportunity would be affected by their school reputation.

B．Schools for bright children would lose their reputation

C．There would be more opportunities and excellence.

D．Children from poor families would be able to change their schools.

The opponents of the examination system will agree that _____.

A．Computers should be selected to take over many jobs.

B．Special classed are necessary to keep the school standards.

C．Jobs should not be assigned by systematic selection.

D．Schools with academic subjects should be abolished.

The passage mainly focuses on ____.
A. schools and certificates   B opportunity and employment
C. examinations and equality  D. standards and reputation

All sorts of items become litter(垃圾) but two of the most common and most dangerous are cigarette butts（烟头) and plastic bags. Litter is a big problem for our environment but it is a problem that individuals can easily do something about. Not littering at all or cleaning up litter, such as  cigarette butts and plastic bags, greatly improves the quality of our environment.
Although cigarette butts, are small, they are bad for the environment. Over 1,600 billion cigarette are smoked each year in China and large quantities of the butts are thrown away. Worldwide, about 4. 5 trillion butts are littered every year. Apart from the fact that butts spoil the beauty of the environment, they contain some very toxic chemicals. These find their way into the water supply where they decrease the quality of the water and endanger plants and animals that live there. So, if people have to smoke, they shouldn't throw away the butts but put them in the rubbish bin instead.
Plastic bags are another common form of litter that is a danger to the environment. There areseveral reasons for this. They are made from oil and gas, which are non—renewable resources. If they are not recycled, these resources are lost to us. In China, 2 billion plastic bags are used every day. An enormous number of these become litter. This is a huge problem because they last from 20 to 1,000 years in the environment. They float easily in the air and water and travel long distances. They find their way to rivers, parks, beaches and oceans. Plastic bags kill up to one million seabirds, 100, 000 sea mammals and countless fish each year worldwide. It is up to people not to let plastic bags become litter. It would be better if they used fewer and recycled them.
Cleaning up your cigarette butts and plastic bags would improve the environment. And we would know that we were doing something to look after our planet. However, I believe the best solution would be not to smoke or use plastic bags at all.
Which of the following best shows the structure of the passage?
A           B.         C.          D.
( ①=" paragraph" 1; ②=" paragraph" 2; ③=" paragraph" 3; ④a paragraph 4 )
The word “toxic” in the paragraph 2 most probably mean “________”

A．precious

B．extra

C．poisonous

D．useless

From the text. we know the fact that_________

A．Chinese smokers litter up to 4. 5 trillion butts every year

B．people in the world use 2 billion plastic bags in a single day

C．plastic bags cause 1 million deaths of seabirds each year worldwide

D．the butts can last 20 to 1,000 years in the environment of China

What's probably the best title of the passage?. Clean Up Your

A．Say Goodbye to Smokin

B．Protect the Endangered Sea Animals .

C．Use Paper Bags Now

D．Clean Up Your Butts and Bags

The rise of the so-called “boomerang generation” is revealed in official figures showing that almost one in five graduates in their late 20s now live with their parents.
By contrast, only one in eight university graduates had failed to fly the nest by the same age 20 years ago. It also found that grown-up sons are twice as likely as their sisters to still be living with their parents in their late 20s. With nearly a quarter of men approaching 30 still living at home, the findings are bound to lead to claims of a “generation of mummy’s boys”.
Young professionals in their late 20s or early 30s have been nicknamed the “boomerang generation” because of the trend toward returning to the family home having initially left to study. Recent research has suggested that young people in Britain are twice as likely to choose to live with their parents in their late 20s than their counterparts elsewhere in Europe.
Rising property prices, mounting student debts and the effects of recession on the job market have forced a wave of young people to move back into the family home at an age when they would normally be moving out. But commentators warned that the phenomenon may have more to do with young people facing “dire” prospects than simply a desire to save money.
While the proportion of those of university or college age moving out from the family home has continued to rise in the last 20 years, among those in their mid and late 20s the trend has been reversed. Overall 1.7 million people aged from 22 to 29 now share a roof with their parents, including more than 760,000 in their late 20s. In 1988, 22.7 per cent of men aged 25 to 29 were still living with their parents but last year the proportion was 24.5 per cent.
What is the main idea of the passage?

A．The economic crisis has shown its effect on the young generation.

B．More young professionals are returning home to live.

C．British parents are suffering more loads from their grown-up children.

D．Britain is suffering more than any other country in Europe.

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Male children seem to more independent than females.

B．Eighty percent of university graduates were able to live independently two decades ago.

C．The grown-up children choose to live with their parents only to save money.

D．More and more children are moving out at university age.

What does the underlined word “dire” probably mean?

A．promising.

B．inconvenient.

C．very bad.

D．hopeful

The following factors may account for the phenomenon except _____.

A．that living prices have risen a lot.

B．that it’s difficult to land a job.

C．that education has already cost them a lot

D．that parents can help them more

Habits are a funny thing. We reach for them mindlessly, setting our brains on auto-pilot and relaxing into the unconscious comfort of familiar routine. “Not choice, but habit rules the unreflecting creatures,” William Wordsworth said in the 19th century. In the ever-changing 21st century, even the word “habit” carries a negative meaning.
So it seems contradictory to talk about habits in the same context as innovation (创新). But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel （平行的）paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks.
Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try, the more creative we become.
But don’t bother trying to kill off old habits; once those ruts of procedure are worn into the brain, they’re there to stay. Instead, the new habits we deliberately press into ourselves create parallel pathways that can bypass those old roads.
“The first thing needed for innovation is attraction to wonder,” says Dawna Markova, author of The Open Mind. “But we are taught instead to ‘decide’, just as our president calls himself ‘the Decider’.” She adds, however, that “to decide is to kill off all possibilities but one. A good innovational thinker is always exploring the many other possibilities.”
“All of us work through problems in ways of which we’re unaware,” she says. Researchers in the late 1960s discovered that humans are born with the ability to approach challenges in four primary ways: analytically, procedurally（程序上的）, collaboratively (合作地) and innovatively. At the end of adolescence, however, the brain shuts down half of that ability, preserving only those ways of thought that have seemed most valuable during the first decade or so of life.
The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure, meaning that few of us use our innovative and collaborative ways of thought. “This breaks the major rule in the American belief system—that anyone can do anything,” explains M. J. Ryan, author of the 2006 book This Year I Will … and Ms. Markova’s business partner. “That’s a lie that we have preserved, and it fosters（培养）commonness. Knowing what you’re good at and doing even more of it creates excellence.” This is where developing new habits comes in.
Brain researchers have discovered that     .

A．the forming of new habits can be guided	B．the development of habits can be predicted
C．the regulation of old habits can be transformed
D．the track of new habits can be created unconsciously

The underlined word “ruts” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to      .

A．zones

B．connections

C．situations

D．tracks

Which of the following statements most probably agrees with Dawna Markova’s view?

A．Decision makes no sense in choices.	B．Curiosity makes creative minds active.
C．Creative ideas are born of a relaxing mind.	D．Formation of innovation comes from fantastic ideas.

The purpose of the author writing this article is to persuade us      .

A．to give up our traditional habits deliberately	B．to create and develop new habits consciously
C．to resist the application of standardized testing	D．to believe that old habits conflict with new habits

One of the most difficult things for children to deal with when moving to a new town is leaving their friends and making new ones.
We once moved and one of our new neighbors told us about a summer camp at the Recreation Center all the kids went to. My husband and I looked into it and we found it was unbelievably cheap. I had the kids sign up (报名) the next day so that they could know more kids there.
Another thing we did was to have them sign up for sports when school started. They were happy to be on teams with new friends they made. This also gave me a chance to meet new people and from them I sometimes got some useful ideas for my new books.
If you’re just moving to a new house in the same city you live in now, it won’t really be a problem unless your kids are changing schools. If they are, it is a great idea to have them take the address book to school. Thus, your children won’t feel “lost” without their old friends.
If you’re able to, over the summer vacation, try inviting the friend your child misses most to come and visit your new home for a week, or even a few weeks. I know this can be difficult if that child has to fly, but maybe you can work out a plan with the child’s parents. Think how happy the kids will be when they meet!
The author had her kids sign up for the summer camp mainly because _____.

A．she could afford the cost	B．she was asked to do so by her kids
C．it could give her kids a chance to meet more kids
D．it could make the summer holiday not so boring

What is probably the author?

A．A housewife.

B．A business woman.

C．A teacher.

D．A writer.

What we can’t learn from the passage is that ____. 

A．a summer camp at the Recreation Center was very cheap

B．having the kids take part in sports is good for both the author and her kids

C．parents should ask their children not to think of their old friends

D．parents should create more chances for children to make new friends

The purpose of the passage is to teach parents how to ______ when they move to a new place. 

A．get used to the new life in a short time

B．help their children make new friends and keep the old ones

C．get along with their new neighbors

D．help their children get used to the new school life

Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is, seek emergency medical help.
First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling (肿大) and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home.
Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters (水泡) develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. Second-degree burns require medical treatment.
Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns require emergency medical attention.
Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home:
1) If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes.
2) Cover the burn with a sterile (消过毒的) bandage or clean cloth.
3) Take aspirin to relieve any swelling or pain.
Seek emergency treatment immediately for major burns. Before an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
1) Remove the person from the source of the burn (fire, electrical current, etc.).
2) If the person is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) immediately.
3) Remove all clothing to stop further burning. If the clothing is stuck to the burn, do not attempt to remove it.
4) Cover the burned area with a cool, moist, sterile bandage or clean cloth. Do not place any creams, ointments (药膏) or ice on the burned area or break blisters.
5) Monitor the patient for signs of shock, and treat accordingly.
The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means “______”.
A. They can be dangerous if you don’t treat them seriously
Ｂ. They range from slight burns to deadly ones
C. They seldom cause deaths even if not treated properly
D. They usually cause deaths if not treated properly
Burns are divided into different degrees according to _______.

A．what kind of treatment they need

B．what kind of tissue of the body is damaged

C．whether there is pain and what degree of pain there is

D．which layer of skin is burned

From the passage we learn that _______.

A．if there is severe pain, then you need medical treatment

B．first-degree burns don’t require medical treatment

C．burns without pains can be treated at home

D．the larger the swelling is, the more serious it is

 It can be inferred from the passage that ______.

A．you shouldn’t cover the burn with a bandage or cloth if it is severe

B．you shouldn’t move the person unless you know how to do first aid

C．you shouldn’t run cool water over the burn if the skin is broken

D．you shouldn’t place any wet towels on the burned area

where do you probably find the passage?

A．a fashion magazine	B．a guide book
C．a book on first aid	D．a section about culture in the newspaper

THIS was the year the Earth struck back.
Earthquakes, heat waves, floods, volcanoes, super typhoons, snow storms, landslides and droughts killed at least a quarter of a million people in 2010 – the deadliest year in more than a generation. More people were killed worldwide by natural disasters this year than have been killed in terrorism attacks in the past 40 years combined.
"It just seemed like it was back-to-back and it came in waves," said Craig Fugate, who heads the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency. It handled a record number of disasters in 2010.
And we have ourselves to blame most of the time, scientists and disaster experts say.
Even though many catastrophes have the ring of random chance, the hand of man made this a particularly deadly, costly, extreme and weird（古怪的） year for everything from wild weather to earthquakes.
Poor construction and development practices conspire to make earthquakes more deadly than they need be. More people live in poverty in vulnerable（脆弱的） buildings in crowded cities. That means that when the ground shakes, the river breaches, or the tropical cyclone hits, more people die.
Disasters from the Earth, such as earthquakes and volcanoes "are pretty much constant," said Andreas Schraft, vice president of catastrophic perils for the Geneva-based insurance giant Swiss Re. "All the change that's made is man-made."
The January earthquake that killed well more than 220,000 people in Haiti is a perfect example. Port-au-Prince has nearly three times as many people - many of them living in poverty - and more poorly built shanties than it did 25 years ago. So had the same quake hit in 1985 instead of 2010, total deaths would have probably been in the 80,000 range, said Richard Olson, director of disaster risk reduction at Florida International University.
In February, an earthquake that was more than 500 times stronger than the one that struck Haiti hit an area of Chile that was less populated, better constructed, and not as poor. Chile's bigger quake caused fewer than 1,000 deaths.
Climate scientists say Earth's climate also is changing, bringing extreme weather, such as heat waves and flooding.
In the summer, one weather system caused oppressive heat in Russia, while farther south it caused flooding in Pakistan that inundated 161,200 square kilometers, about the size of Wisconsin. That single heat-and-storm system killed almost 17,000 people, more people than all the worldwide airplane crashes in the past 15 years.
Scientists have calculated that the killer Russian heat wave—setting a national record of 43.9℃—would happen once every 100,000 years without global warming.
What is responsible for the most human deaths in 2010?

A．Natrual disasters.	B．Terrorist attacks.
C．Poor buildings.	D．Too rapid developrnent.

According to Andreas Schraft,             .

A．earthquakes are happening more often because of human beings

B．earthquakes are causing more damage because of human beings

C．stronger houses should be built to limit storm damage

D．Port—au—Prince is now overpopulated

The main point of the article is to           

A．list the natural disasters that occurred in 2010

B．give the details of some natural disasters of 2010

C．warn that more natural disasters are to strike

D．blame humanity for not helping those affected by the disasters

What is red but green, open but closed and old but new?
The answer is: London’s new double-decker（双层）buses.
Red double-deckers are a symbol of the city. Their status was sealed (确定) in 2008 when one bus made the longer-than-usual trip to Beijing to collect a special passenger: the Olympic Flame.
On November 11, a life-size model of the new bus was shown to the media. The Guardian reported that the new design shares some of the features of the much-missed double-decker Routemaster bus. The original Routemaster was introduced in 1956 but December 2005 saw the end of the old bus’s general service. It was because the bus was difficult for some passengers to use and not environmentally friendly. But it can still be seen on two heritage routes in the city.
Its replacements —boxy, modern double—deckers—have failed to win Londoners’ affection.
London mayor Boris Johnson told the BBC that the new buses were “a combination of nostalgia（怀旧）and the latest technology”. “Standing on the back platform of this bus brings a sense of nostalgia but also shows the best part of the latest technology and design, making this bus fit for the 21st Century,” he said.
The new bus also returns to the driver—and—conductor model—a key feature of the original version. It will be quieter than the old type and have a platform offering passengers the traditional hop—on hop—off service.
The first five new buses will be seen on the roads by early 2012.
Which of the following shows that red double—deckers are a symbol of London?

A．They have a long history and are seen everywhere in London.

B．They have nothing in common with the traditional Routemaster bus.

C．One such bus went from London to Beijing to collect the Olympic Flame.

D．They carried British athletes from London to attend the Beijing Olympics.

Which of the following is true of the original Routemaster?

A．The bus came into use in the 1960s.

B．The bus was banned because it was harmful to the environment.

C．Passengers didn’t like the bus because it was slow.

D．Visitors to London cannot see such buses on the roads any more.

According to London mayor Boris Johnson, the new Routemaster          .

A．has not been as well received as was expected

B．will be widely used in London in 2012

C．is the most environmentally friendly bus in the UK

D．combines the latest technology with key traditional features

What is the characteristic of the new red double – deckers?

A．The buses will make no noises.

B．The buses will have no conductors.

C．They will be equipped with air – conditioning.

D．The bus platform will offer passengers a traditional service.

Parking has long been a major headache for drivers in Shanghai. The Transportation Department is mapping out a new plan for the city’s parking system. There are one million cars on the road in Shanghai but only enough public parking space to provide room for 15 percent of these vehicles. It is no wonder that local drivers get so worried trying to find a place to park.
The city is seeing a rise in private car owners. In March, the city sent out 2,000 private car licenses, the highest number of licenses ever sent out in a month. And prices rose to 14,600 yuan, 500 more than in February. Industry experts say this suggests that local people have a strong, active interest in buying cars.
By the year 2020, the number of automobiles in Shanghai will probably reach two million. If one parking lot is for each car, then a lot of parking space should be built for these vehicles.
Downtown Shanghai is most short of parking space. However, experts point out that simply building more parking lots in downtown areas is not practical and doesn’t provide an ideal solution. The idea of “ Park & Ride” system has been suggested. This means that drivers can leave their vehicles in car parks nearby subway or bus stations and ride public transport to go downtown. Based on this idea, the city will limit the number of parking lots in downtown areas and demand higher parking fees but build more parking areas near main subway and bus stops.
The underlined phrase “mapping out” in the first paragraph means __________.

A．making

B．arguing

C．commanding

D．requesting

About __________ drivers can find places to park their cars in Shanghai now.

A．850,000

B．1,000,000

C．150,000

D．2,000,000

What can we infer from the second paragraph?

A．The city sent out more private licenses in February.

B．Less and less people bought cars in March.

C．The city sent out less private licenses in March.

D．More and more people are going to buy cars.

According to the idea of a “ Park & Ride ” system, the city will __________.

A．send out more private car licenses

B．build more parking lots near bus stops

C．encourage people to buy more cars

D．build more parking areas downtown

Harry’s father bought a magazine which gave its readers information about all kinds of products and helped them make the best choice while buying.
Harry borrowed his father’s magazine when he needed a new computer. “I’ll read it and choose the best one.” He said.
The magazine described these computers.

The DGT PC450	The BNK 975XF: AT $3,200	The CGP 8PT
This computer comes with lots of good software. However it does not have much memory and is rather slow. At $2,850 it’s not very good value for money.	This is the most expensive computer we tested. However it is also the most reliable (可靠的). It is very fast and has lots of memory. It is worth the extra money if you can afford it.	At only $1,900. It has lots of memory and is quite fast. However it broke down twice while we were testing it and we cannot recommend (建议) it for reliability.

     Harry chose the BNK 975XF. “I know it’s expensive,” he said, “but it will be with me for a long time and do everything I want it to do.”
Harry wants to buy a computer, so he borrowed ___________ from his father.

A．a magazine about all kinds of products	B．a computer magazine
C．a shopping book	D．a book about all kinds of computers

____________ doesn’t have much memory and is rather slow.

A．The BNK 975XF	B．The DGT PC450
C．The CGP 8PT	D．Harry’s computer

The CGP 8PT is _____________ among the three kinds of computers.

A．the fastest

B．the most expensive

C．the cheapest

D．the slowest

Harry chose the BNK 975XF because _________.

A．it is the most expensive	B．it has lots of good software
C．it has much memory	D．it would work for him for a long time