Tim Becker and his neighbors are doing something to make their neighborhood a trouble-free area.
When Tim Becker gets in his car to go shopping, he doesn’t 36 drive to a store and back home. He always looks 37 up and down the streets of his neighborhood. He looks for anything 38 such as strange cars, loud noises, 39 windows , or people gathering on street corners.
Tim 40 to a neighborhood watch group in Stoneville Indiana, USA. The neighborhood watch group 41 on the third Wednesday of every month. That’s 42 Tim gets together with about ten of his neighbors to discuss community 43 . Members of the neighborhood watch group want to help the police 44 their homes , streets, and families safe.
Tina Stedman , president of 45 neighborhood watch group , agrees with Tim . “People seem to think that crime(犯罪) happens to other people but not 46 them. Well , it’s never happened to me,” she said, “but I don’t think anyone has the 47 to steal from other people or to make them feel 48 sitting in their own homes.
Alex, a member of the group, said that all the neighbors 49 out for one another. “We 50 each other’s homes. We keep watch on the neighborhood at night and on weekends .Usually a 51 of four or five of us goes out together. If something doesn’t look right, then we call the 52 . For example, if we notice a group of teenagers who seem to be looking for 53 , or someone destroying property（财产）, we report to the police.”
Alex feels the neighborhood watch groups 54 a lot in keeping crime down. Her husband Jim agrees, “Police are good people, but they don’t do 55 .”
A．yet B．still C．just D．rather
A．carefully B．clearly C．nervously D．coldly
A．curtained B．open C．old D．broken
A．attends B．belongs C．goes D．turns
A．meets B．quarrels C．sings D．searches
A．where B．why C．when D．how
A．politics B．wealth C．health D．safety
A．keep B．hold C．let D．protect
A．its B．his C．their D．your
A．round B．on C．about D．to
A．right B．change C．courage D．mind
A．unlucky B．unsafe C．disappointed D．discouraged
A．set B．let C．hold D．look
A．care B．enter C．watch D．manage
A．group B．set C．number D．crowd
A．judges B．police C．fireman D．doctors
A．work B．burden C．service D．trouble
A．produce B．find C．get D．help
A．anything B．everything C．harm D．wrong
If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck－lines are lowered or raised, and soon.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn’t at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high－heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Does the constantly changing fashion of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanged styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide. The writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the of clothing
___ .
| A．comfort | B．appearance | C．cost | D．suitability |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE？
| A．Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women. |
| B．The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character. |
| C．The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society. |
| D．New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women. |
By saying “the conclusions to be drawn are obvious”, the writer means that _____.
| A．women’s inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at |
| B．women are better able to put up with discomfort |
| C．men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers |
| D．men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion |
People being tested for radiation exposure
The crisis at the damaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Station in northern Japan has raised worries about radiation risks. We spoke Tuesday with Jonathan Links, an expert in radiation health sciences. He is a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland.
Professor Links says workers within the nuclear plant are the only people at risk of extremely high doses of radiation.
JONATHAN LINKS: "Of course, we don't know what doses they've received, but the only persons at risk of acute radiation effects are the workers."
For other people, he says, there may be a long-term worry. People can get cancer from low doses of ionizing radiation, the kind released in a nuclear accident.
Professor Links says scientists can use computers to quickly model where radioactive material has blown and settled. Then they measure how large an area is contaminated. He says if the situation is serious enough, officials could take steps like telling people not to eat locally grown food or drink the water.
JONATHAN LINKS: "But that would only be the case if there was a significant release and, because of wind direction, the radioactive material was blown over the area, and then settled out of the air into and onto water, plants, fruits and vegetables."
The reactors at Fukushima are on the Pacific coast. But Professor Links says people should not worry about any radioactive material leaking into the ocean.
JONATHAN LINKS: "Even in a worst-case scenario accident, the sea provides a very high degree of dilution. So the concentration of radioactivity in the seawater would still be quite low."
Japan is the only country to have had atomic bombs dropped on it. That memory from World War Two would create a stronger "psychological sensitivity" to radiation exposure, Professors Links says.
Next month is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the explosion and fire that destroyed a reactor at Chernobyl in Ukraine. The nineteen eighty-six event was the world's worst accident in the nuclear power industry.
A new United Nations report says more than six thousand cases of thyroid cancer have been found. These are in people who were children in affected areas of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The report says that by two thousand five the cancers had resulted in fifteen deaths.
The cancers were largely caused by drinking contaminated milk. The milk came from cows that ate grass where radioactive material had fallen.
To get the latest updates, go to www.unsv.com.
Contributing: James BrookeThe passage mainly tells us __________.
| A．What measures the Japan Government takes to solve the nuclear crisis . |
| B．Worries and influences caused by the nuclear crisis . |
| C．With great efforts of scientists , the Japan Government has put the nuclear crisis under control . |
| D．To explain that the nuclear crisis has less effect on its neighboring countries. |
Which of the following is NOT the influences caused by the leak of Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Station?
| A．Workers at the nuclear station are suffering the risk of death . |
| B．People can get cancer from low doses of ionizing radiation, the kind released in a nuclear accident. |
| C．The radioactive material may be blown over the area causing the pollution to water . |
| D．The concentration of radioactivity in the seawater can not be diluted. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “dilution”?
| A．chemical | B．salt | C．dissolution | D．elimination |
According to the passage which of the following is not TRUE ?
| A．Water people drink ,food and vegetables people eat may be polluted by nuclear radiation . |
| B．Japan is the only country to have had atomic bombs dropped on it. |
| C．You can go to www.unsv.com. to get the latest news . |
| D．The nuclear accident in Japan is the worst in the nuclear power industry. |
Be honest. That’s all you have to do on Honesty Day. It would be great if we were all honest every day of the year. It’s good that there is a day to encourage honesty. M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day. He chose the last day of April because the first day is April Fool’s Day, which celebrate lies. On Honesty Day, anyone may ask you any question and you should give a true and honest answer. That means that you have knowledge of Honesty Day.
M. Hirsh Goldberg wrote a book on telling lies. He said in his book that almost all person lie about 200 times a day. In our daily life, a typical（典型的）life for a man is “I did not drink that much” and for a woman is “Nothing is wrong, I’m fine.” It is found that nurses are the most honest people, while sales people and politicians（政客）are the biggest liars.
Every Honesty Day, M. Hirsh Goldberg hands out prizes to honest people.M. Hirsh Goldberg started Honesty Day to ______.
| A．celebrate lies | B．encourage honesty |
| C．ask questions | D．hand out prizes |
Which of the following is Honesty Day?
| A．April 1st | B．April 10th |
| C．April 20th | D．April 30th |
According to the passage, ______ are the most honest people.
| A．nurses | B．sales people |
| C．politicians | D．all men |
The underlined word “liars” probably means “______”.
| A．获利者 | B．说谎者 |
| C．影响着 | D．领导者 |
Camping wild is a wonderful way to experience the natural world and, at its best, it makes little environmental influence. But with increasing numbers of people wanting to escape into the wilderness, it is becoming more and more important to camp unobtrusively(不引人注目地)and leave no mark.
Wild camping is not permitted in many places, particularly in crowded lowland Britain. Wherever you are, find out about organizations responsible for managing wild spaces, and contact them to find out their policy on camping and shelter building. For example, it is fine to camp wild in remote parts of Scotland, but in England you must ask the landowner’s permission, except in national parks.
Camping is about having relaxation, sleeping outdoors, experiencing bad weather, and making do without modern conveniences. A busy, fully-equipped campsite(野营地)seems to go against this, so seek out smaller, more remote places with easy access to open spaces and perhaps beaches. Better still, find a campsite with no road access: walking in makes a real adventure.
Finding the right spot to camp is the first step to guaranteeing a good night’s sleep. Choose a campsite with privacy and minimum influence on others and the environment. Try to use an area where people have obviously camped before rather than creating a new spot. When camping in woodland, avoid standing dead trees, which may fall on a windy night. Avoid animal runs and caves, and possible homes of biting insects. Make sure you have most protection on the windward side. If you make a fire, do so downwind of your shelter. Always consider what influence you might have on the natural world. Avoid damaging plants. A good campsite is found, not made—changing it should be unnecessary.You needn’t ask for permission when camping in .
| A．national parks in England | B．most parts of Scotland |
| C．crowded lowland Britain | D．most parts of England |
The author thinks that a good campsite is one .
| A．with easy access | B．used previously |
| C．with modern conveniences | D．far away from beaches |
The last paragraph mainly deals with
| A．protecting animals |
| B．building a campfire |
| C．camping in woodland |
| D．finding a campsite with privacy |
The passage is mainly about
| A．the protection of campsites |
| B．the importance of wild camping |
| C．the human influence on campsites |
| D．the dos and don’ts of wild camping |
Many people say pennies are not worth saving. After all, a penny is only worth a cent. But one unusual penny turned out to be worth a lot more when a coin collector paid $1.7 million for it earlier this month.
The coin is one of a kind. It is the only penny that the Denver mint(铸币厂) made out of copper, instead of steel, in 1943. Because it is unique, it is also very valuable. No penny has ever sold for so much money.
The Changing Penny
The Lincoln penny first appeared in 1909. For 34 years, the one-cent coin was made out of copper. Then, in 1943, the penny changed. World War II was going on, and copper was needed for equipment. So for one year, pennies were made out of steel instead. At least most of them were.
Only a few coins were made out of unused copper. There are three main mints, or places where coins are made, in the United States. Of the known copper pennies from 1943, twelve were made in the Philadephia mint, and five were made in the San Francisco mint. Only one was made in the Denver mint.
Nobody knows for sure why a copper penny was made at the Denver mint in 1943, coin dealers Andy Skrabalak told Time for Kids. “There is a rumor that a mint employee made the coin in the middle of the night.”
A Special Set
The coin collector who bought the $1.7 million penny wants to remain unknown. But the reason for the trade is known. He already had two copper pennies from 1943 – one from the San Francisco mint and one from the Philadephia mint. To complete the set, he needed the Denver penny. The three coins will go on display at a coin exhibition in Tampa, Florida.
The collector who sold the penny is also keeping his name a secret. It took four years to convince him to give up the rare coin. Now that he has finally donating all of the money to charity.Why is the Lincoln penny worth over one million dollars?
A. Because it has a history of thirty-four years.
B. Because it was made out of a rare material.
C. Because it was made on one night of 1943 by the Denver mint.
D, Because it was the only coin Denver mint made out of copper in 1943.Before the Lincoln penny was sold, people thought one-cent coins __________.
| A．were worth collecting for selling later |
| B．were surely valuable if not made out of steel |
| C．wouldn’t be sold for large amounts of money |
| D．were only useful for some coin museums |
At least how many copper coins were made in 1943?
| A．Five | B．Twelve | C．Seventeen | D．Eighteen |
What can we learn about the collector who sold the penny?
| A．He already had two copper pennies from 1943. |
| B．He wanted to complete the set of copper pennies. |
| C．He didn’t want to sell his penny in the beginning. |
| D．He was a well-known coin dealer in Tampa, Horida. |
Betty and Harold have been married for years .But one thing still puzzles (困扰) old Harold .How is it that he can leave Betty and her friend Joan sitting on the sofa ,talking ,go out to a ballgame ,come back three and a half hours later ,and they’re still sitting on the sofa ? Talking ?
What in the world ,Harold wonders ,do they have to talk about ?
Betty shrugs .Talk ? We’re friends .
Researching this matter called friendship ,psychologist Lillian Rubin spent two years interviewing more than two hundred women and men .No matter what their age ,their job ,their sex ,the results were completely clear :women have more friendships than men ,and the difference in the content and the quality of those friendships is “marked and unmistakable .”
More than two –thirds of the single men Rubin interviewed could not name a best friend. Those who could were likely to name a woman .Yet three-quarters of the single women had no problem naming a best friend ,and almost always it was a woman .More married men than women named their wife/husband as a best friend ,most trusted person ,or the one they would turn to in time of emotional distress （感情危机）.“Most women ,”says Rubin ,“identified （认定） at least one ,usually more ,trusted friends to whom they could turn in a troubled moment ,and they spoke openly about the importance of these relationships in their lives .”
“In general,”writes Rubin in her new book ,“women’s friendships with each other rest on shared emotions and support ,but men’s relationships are marked by shared activities.” For the most part ,Rubin says ,interactions （交往）between men are emotionally controlled –a good fit with the social requirements of “manly behavior .”
“Even when a man is said to be a best friend ,”Rubin writes ,“the two share little about their innermost feelings .Whereas a woman’s closest female friend might be the first to tell her to leave a failing marriage ,it wasn’t unusual to hear a man say he didn’t know his friend’s marriage was in serious trouble until he appeared one night asking if he could sleep on the sofa .”What old Harold cannot understand or explain is the fact that .
| A．he is treated as an outsider rather than a husband |
| B．women have so much to share |
| C．women show little interest in ballgames |
| D．he finds his wife difficult to talk to |
Rubin’s study shows that for emotional support a married woman is more likely to turn to .
| A．a male friend | B．a female friend | C．her parents | D．her husband |
Which of the following statements is best supported by the last paragraph ?
| A．Men keep their innermost feelings to themselves. |
| B．Women are more serious than men about marriage. |
| C．Men often take sudden action to end their marriage. |
| D．Women depend on others in making decisions. |
The research done by psychologist Rubin centers around________ .
| A．happy and successful marriages |
| B．friendships of men and women |
| C．emotional problems in marriage |
| D．interactions between men and women . |
China has become Volvo's third largest market, with more of its car models to go on sale in the world's largest auto（汽车） market this year, Chief Executive Office (CEO) of Volvo Cars China said in Tianjin.
Alexander Klose, CEO of Volvo Cars China, told Xinhua at the Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show, being held from Friday to Wednesday.
Klose said Volvo Cars had entered a new time of fast development, adding that its sales volume in China roared in 2010.
Up to the end of September, Volvo's global sales volume was up 12.5 percent year on year（同年比）, compared with 52 percent year-on-year rise in China, he said.
Two new Volvo sales centers opened in Beijing within merely one week in early October, about two months after east China's ZhejiangGeely Holding Group Co acquired（购得）the Swedish brand from the US auto giant Ford for $1.5 billion in early August.
Klose said he was confident of seeing tremendous(巨大的) growth in China's auto market in the next five years. "As the Chinese government has increased the tax rate for large displacement （排量）cars already, we now have a lot of cars below three liters（升）, and I think we'll stick to that strategy, as you can see now the XC60 which was introduced today is just two liters," he said.
"As the technology advances, we'll probably even see 1.6 liter engines or 1.5 liter engines in the future," he added.
Volvo Cars is not the only automaker hoping to take advantage of China's rapidly growing auto market.
Bentley, the famous British luxury（豪华） carmaker, will open a new sales center in China at Tianjin Thursday, which is the 11th one in China, according to a press release（新闻发布） by Shanghai-based Zenith Integrated Communications Corp (Zenith) Saturday at the auto show.
Zenth is the public relations agent of Bentley in China. The automaker has sold 421 limousines（大型豪华轿车） to China in 2009, and the goal for 2010 is 777, the release said.The word underlined in the third paragraph would probably be___.
| A．shouted loudly | B．increased in large numbers |
| C．reduced rapidly | D．burned brightly |
From this passage we can infer that ___.
| A．The Ninth Tianjin International Automobile Trade Show was held from Friday to Wednesday. |
| B．Volvo Cars is a world-famous carmaker in Britain. |
| C．Of all the auto sales volume Volvo sales volume is only number one in China |
| D．Volvo sales centers are developing very fast in China recently |
The text is mainly about____.
| A．China Becomes Volvo's 3rd largest market |
| B．Volvo Cars in China |
| C．Volvo Sales Volume in China |
| D．Carmakers in China |
How many carmakers are mentioned in this passage which opened and will open new sales centers in China recently?
| A．One | B．Two | C．Three | D．Four |
China has a growing love affair with the cars．This is clear at the Beijing Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange, where more and more people come to look and increasingly to buy．
Alice Wu is an editor at a Chinese Internet publication．She takes the subway to work, but she is certain she can cut her commute time if she drives herself．Wu says it takes her three hours to get to work now．If she had a car, she says, the same trip would only take her two hours．
The Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange is the biggest car dealership in Beijing．General manager Guo Yong says the business sells more than two thousand cars each week．Guo says it is much easier for Chinese consumers to buy a car now．In the past, it would take them several years to earn enough money to buy a new car．Now, he says, many people only need to save for one year．Also, the emergence of less expensive domestic brands like Chery and BYD means more Chinese can afford cars．
For decades, most Chinese city residents got about by bicycle or public buses and trains．Now, in many areas, the number of new cars is growing faster than the road system, leaving city streets jammed with traffic．Guo Liang has wanted to buy a car for a decade, and he will be the first in his family to own one．He is not deterred by Beijing's traffic jams．Guo says if the traffic is too bad, he will use the car for leisure or holidays with his family．Another customer, Zhang Menxin, works in Beijing, but is from Xi'an, more than 900 kilometers away．Zhang says it is very difficult to get a train ticket to return home for Chinese New Year．She adds that train is not convenient．If she had her own car, she says, she could go anytime she wanted to．
World Bank transportation specialist Shomik Mendhiratta says, “Getting a car makes people feel like they have arrived to the middle class, and it's got a huge status associated with it．It's a fantastic thing to have．”The underlined word "deterred" in the 4th paragraph probably means .
| A．encouraged | B．attracted | C．astonished | D．discouraged |
The reason why Zhang Menxin wants to buy a car is that .
| A．it is hard and inconvenient for her to go home in Xi'an by train． |
| B． she doesn't like to go to work by subway． |
| C．she wants to use the car for leisure or holidays with her family |
| D．the place where she works is far from her house |
The best title for the passage should be " "
| A．Cars made China a country on wheels |
| B．More Chinese Hitting the road in their own cars． |
| C．More cars sold by the Beijing Asian Games Village Automobile Exchange |
| D．China is developing rapidly in the past few years． |
According to what Shomik Mendhiratta in the last paragraph, the car is ____ for the person who owns it．
| A．of little value | B．a means of transportation |
| C．a status symbol | D．a heavy burden |
TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TEENSGIVING?
TEENSGIVING is an exciting yearly event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives!
When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010?
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010
Where is TEENSGIVING?
All over New York City. Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off. Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference and have fun!
Who participates in TEENSGIVING?
Hundreds of teenagers from around the city. Teens come from the 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (aged 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
What projects do participants do at the agencies?
Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters.
Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING?
Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive *6 hours* of community service credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be “thanked” with a light breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city’s youth contribute to their community. In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 T-shirt.
This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010? Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org(subjet:TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event!
**Teens can also contact their school’s Community Service Advisor**
TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y.TEENSGIVING is an event which is held ______.
| A．fromtimetotime | B．onceeveryyear |
| C．everytwoyears | D．twiceayear |
Teenagers may do all the following in the event EXCEPT ____
| A．wateringflowers |
| B．cooking |
| C．cleaningstreets |
| D．takingcareofanimals |
An adult volunteer may get ____ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
| A．communityservicecreditandaT-shirt |
| B．ahighschoolcertificateandalightbreakfast |
| C．aT-shirtandagiftcertificate |
| D．agiftcertificateandcommunityservicecredit |
The writer’s purpose in writing this passage is to _______.
| A．informreadersofsomefrequentlyaskedquestions |
| B．introduceTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010toreaders |
| C．encouragereaderstoaskmorequestionsaboutTEENSGIVING |
| D．callonreaderstoparticipateinTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010 |
The first part of a new science-fiction series （系列剧）was shown on NBC last night. Star Trek is about a spacecraft（宇宙飞船）which travels faster than the speed of light. The show is developed from three ideas about the 22nd century. First, we’ll find other life forms great tools which will make amazing things possible.
Let’s think about these predictions. If we find life forms on other planets, will they be intelligent? I hope so. But we human beings might not be friendly – I don’t think we’ll believe in the idea of peace one hundred years from now. But this is science fiction, so we can be optimistic! And Star Trek’s idea of life in the future is ‘communicators’. And we will be ablt to have conversatins with people who are on because you’ll have an electronic notebook. And if you get ill, the doctor won’t have to examine you – a machine will ‘read’ your body. The strangest manchine includes a ‘teleport’ which will take people to a different placein a second!
The ideas are interesting, and in my opinion there’s only one problem with star trek: the acting. The TV company （公司）will have to get better actors. If they do that, the show might be a success. If the acting doesn’t improve, Star Trek won’t last for more than one series. Of course, my prediction may be wrong. I can’t see into the future!What is Star Trek?
| A．A TV play. | B．A popular song. |
| C．A spacecraft. | D．An alien. |
What does the underlined word “optimistic” mean?
| A．Lucky and happy. | B．Hopeful and confident. |
| C．Helpful and creative. | D．Thankful and popular. |
What’s the writer’s opinion about Star Trek?
| A．The life forms on other planets are stupid. |
| B．Interesting ideas make a new series popular. |
| C．The new series might not be successful without better actors. |
| D．Our life in the future might be different with the help of aliens. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Aliens on Other Planets. | B．The Idea of Human Life. |
| C．A Science Fiction. | D．A New Series about Future. |
Violent winds swept the ocean, and waves thundered to shore, shaking the lookout tower at Pea Island Rescue Station. Surfman Theodore Meekins was on watch that evening of 11 October 1896. A hurricane had struck the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and the tide was so strong that beach patrols(巡逻)had been canceled. Still, Meekins paid close attention to the horizon. This was the type of weather that could blow ships hundreds of miles off course.
Offshore, the ship E.S. Newman was caught in the storm. The captain, whose wife and child were on the ship, feared the Newman would soon break up. He made the decision to beach his ship, then fired a signal, praying that someone onshore would see it.
Meekins, whose eyes were trained to cut through rain and surf mists, thought he saw the signal, but so much spray (水雾) covered the lookout windows that he could hardly make sure. Still, he took no chances. After summoning (召集) the station keeper, Captain Richard Etheridge, Meekins set off a coston signal, a signal made by using lamps of different colors. Together, the two men searched the darkness for a reply. A few moments later, they saw a flash of light to the south and knew a shop was in distress (遇险). Even before the return signal burned out, Etheridge had summoned his men and begun rescue operations.
For the lifesavers, the rescue of the Newman was nothing unusual. Over the years, so many ships had foundered off the Outer Banks that sailors called the region the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Noting the dangerous surf and wind conditions, Captain Etheridge quickly decided the surf boats would be impossible to control. Instead, he decided to use another way to help the survivors.
The crew set off on the long journey down the beach to the scene of the wreck (海滩). Captain Etheridge hoped to fire a line from a gun to the ship’s mast (船桅). After the ship’s crew dragged the line onboard, the surfmen would fire a second line and carry survivors safely to shore.
The surfmen crossed three miles of sand to reach the ship Newman. The water was freezing, and the men often sank up to their knees in sand. Captain Etheridge noted in his diary that “the voice of gladdened hearts greeted the arrival of the station crew,” but that “it seemed impossible for them to do anything under such circumstances. The work was often stopped by the sweeping current.”
Even when the rescue equipment proved useless, Etheridge refused to give up. Choosing two of his strongest surfmen, he tied rope lines around their waists and sent them into the water. The two men, holding a line from shore, walked with huge effort as far as they could before diving through the waves. Nearly worn out while swimming against the tide, they finally made it to the shore.
The first to be rescued were the captain’s wife and child. With the two passengers tied to their backs, the surfmen fought their way back to shore. Taking turns, Etheridge and his crew made ten trips to the Newman, saving every person onboard. It was 1:00 a.m. when the crew and survivors finally made it back to the station.
That night, as the exhausted survivors lay sleeping and his lifesaving crew rested, Captain Etheridge picked up his pen, and in the light of an oil lantern, wrote with satisfaction that all the people onboard had been saved and were “sheltered in this station”—words he would remember for many years to come.The beach patrols were canceled because ________.
| A．Meekins paid enough attention to the horizon |
| B．there was too much spray on the windows |
| C．the winds and tide were too strong |
| D．there was no ship near the station |
The underlined word “foundered” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “___________”.
| A．stopped | B．sank | C．sailed | D．arrived |
What was the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To warn sailors of the dangers of hurricanes. |
| B．To create a story describing a rescue at sea. |
| C．To inform people about Richard Etheridge. |
| D．To record the details about the Newman. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The newman was very dangerous before Richard Etheridge and his team members saw the signal. |
| B．A terrible hurricane took place off the coast of North Carolina and threatened the lives of many sailors. |
| C．At no other time in American history have so many shipwrecked passengers survived such a violent storm. |
| D．All the passengers of a shipwreck were rescued because of heroic the efforts of a special leader and his crew. |
If you exhibit positive characteristics such as honesty and helpfulness, the chances are that you will be thought as a good-looking person, for a new study has found that the perception （认知） of physical attractiveness is influenced by a person's personality．
The study, which was led by Gary W．Lewandowski, has found that people who exhibit negative characteristics, such as unfairness and rudeness, appear to be less physically attractive to observers．In the study, the participants viewed photographs of opposite-sex individuals and rated them for attractiveness before and after being provided with information about their personalities．
After personality information was received, participants also rated the probability of each individual' s becoming a friend and a dating partner．Information on personality was found to significantly change the probability, showing that cognitive （认知的） processes modify （修改） judgments of attractiveness．
"Thinking a person as having a desirable personality makes the person more suitable in general as a close relationship partner of any kind," said Lewandowski．
The findings show that a positive personality leads to greater expectation of becoming friends, which leads to greater expectation of becoming romantic partners and, finally, to being viewed as more physically attractive．The findings remained consistent regardless of how "attractive" the individual was formerly thought to be or of the participants' current relationship status．
"This research provides a positive outcome by reminding people that personality goes a long way toward determining your attractiveness; it can even change people's impressions of how good-looking you are," said Lewandowski．In the study the participants were required to _____．
| A．try to make friends with each other |
| B．try to prove positive characters make people more attractive |
| C．exhibit negative characters such as unfairness and rudeness |
| D．rate one's attractiveness by photos before and after knowing her or his personality |
What's the CORRECT order of how cognitive processes modify judgments of attractiveness?
a．find a person with a positive personality
b．view the person more physically attractive
c．want to make friends with the person
d．want to be his/ her romantic partner
| A．a→c→d→b | B．d→c→b→a | C．c→b→a→d | D．a→d→c→b |
Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?
| A．The research reminds people to pay more attention to the personality． |
| B．Personality can change people's impressions of one's appearance． |
| C．The judgment of one's attractiveness always stays unchanged． |
| D．Positive personality may lead to more friends． |
The passage is written in a（n） _____ tone．
| A．subjective | B．objective | C．sceptical | D．negative |
Who are the intended readers of this passage?
| A．People with positive characteristics． |
| B．Good-looking people． |
| C．People with negative characteristics． |
| D．General people． |
Paparazzi, or "paps", are photographers who take pictures of famous people when they are not at the center of public attention. Paps are different from professional photographers or journalists because they never take ordinary photos.
The goal for paparazzi is to get pictures that no one else will get and then sell the pictures to the buyer who offers the most money —normally a small newspaper, magazine or website.
There is no law against paparazzi taking pictures in public places. However, there are laws that protect certain individuals. For example, child protection laws stop improper (不合适的) pictures of anyone under 16 from being published.
There is also no law that stops paparazzi from following celebrities (名人) and taking their pictures either. However, if paps are secretly following them and taking pictures of their faces, they could get into trouble.
Most paparazzi hang out on streets and hot spots for celebrities, waiting for the opportunity to take a picture of a star. Many stay on the streets until the early hours of the morning when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse for wear. However, some have other ways to make sure they get pictures. Many paps are in contact with "informers" who know the locations of celebrities at any given time. They then pass the information on to paparazzi. An informer could be anyone —from a restaurant waiter to a salesman.
Most of the time, paparazzi get a bad reputation for following celebrities. But sometimes stars or their managers will contact paps themselves and tell them exactly where and when they will go.
What a love-hate relationship between paparazzi and celebrities!Which of the following things paparazzi might do would be against the law?
| A．Taking pictures of famous people in public places. |
| B．Getting unsuitable pictures of a 10-year-old actress published. |
| C．Following a famous woman singer secretly and taking her pictures. |
| D．Hanging out at the places where celebrities often appear. |
In order to earn big money a pap has to ________.
| A．get the only first-hand pictures |
| B．sell the pictures to a big newspaper |
| C．make friends with famous people |
| D．know the locations of celebrities |
The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ________.
| A．how paparazzi get the pictures |
| B．how dangerous paparazzi’s job is |
| C．how much paparazzi pay for the pictures |
| D．how paparazzi contact informers |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Paparazzi always take pictures when famous people are tired. |
| B．Stars hate paparazzi and don’t want to be followed. |
| C．Paparazzi and famous people rely on each other sometimes. |
| D．Informers might get paparazzi into trouble. |
Superman, Spider-Man, Batman and Iron Man ... .There is no shortage of superheroes. You find them in comic books, on the TV and the big screen.
In a survey of fans by the sci-fi and fantasy website, SFX.co.uk, Batman, 70 years old this year, was voted Britain's favorite superhero.
Unlike many crime-fighting superheroes Batman has no special powers. He can't fly like Superman or shoot a sticky web like Spider-Man.
Bruce Wayne is born to a wealthy Gotham City business family. However, when his parents are murdered his life changes completely.
Wayne feels anger at their deaths and guilty that he did not prevent them. He travels around the world learning how to fight. Upon returning to Gotham, he creates a disguise (伪装) to enable him to fight crime without being recognized.
A childhood fear of bats leads him to choose to dress as one. His idea is that through the bat person he can prove to himself that he has overcome his childhood fears.
Wayne is the CEO of the company he inherits (继承) from his father. He seems to live the lifestyle of a millionaire playboy. But this is a ruse (计策). He works hard at the image to allow himself the freedom he needs to do his work as a crime fighter. "Bruce Wayne, playboy" is the disguise Batman is the real person.
"Wayne is not a born superhero. Instead, he is a real, complex person," said Dace Golder, editor of the website. "He is the most realistic of all the superheroes. I am particularly interested in the emotional process by which a boy becomes a hero. His superhero qualities come from within."What is the article mainly about?
| A．How Bruce Wayne develops into a superhero. |
| B．How to overcome childhood fears. |
| C．What makes a superhero. |
| D．Why superheroes enjoy great popularity in Britain. |
Bruce Wayne decides to dress like a bat because of ______ .
| A．his curiosity about bats | B．his childhood fear of bats |
| C．his parents' sudden death | D．his unusual travel experiences |
Why does Wayne live like a playboy?
| A．He prefers the lifestyle of a playboy. |
| B．He doesn't know how to run a company. |
| C．He loves freedom more than anything else. |
| D．He needs to disguise his crime fighting activities. |
Which of the following statements is true about Batman?
| A．Batman is a born superhero |
| B．He has special powers |
| C．The turning point of his life is due to his parents' sudden death |
| D．He actually lives the lifestyle of a millionaire playboy |
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