More than two decades ago, a 10-year-old schoolgirl threw a bottle into the sea off the coast of Hull as she went on a ship on a family holiday, hoping to get a response from a stranger in a faraway land. Inside the bottle was a scrawled letter from Zoe Lemon, a youngster with a love of "ballet, playing the flute and the piano", who had just boarded a ship heading for a holiday in Germany.
She told her expected recipients of her pet hamster and fish, both called Sparkle, and her parents who were both teachers.
Miss Lemon, of Salford, Greater Manchester, soon forgot about her act of fantastic, eventually marrying and having a child herself.
But this Christmas she was extremely surprised to receive a reply after 23 years.
It turned out to be a reply to her letter from Piet and Jacqueline Lateur from near Rotterdam. Mr Lateur was walking his dog in the Oosterschelde dykes(坝), near where he and his wife live in Serooskerke, when he found the bottle with Zoe’s letter inside.
Mrs Averianov, 33, who works in a jewellery shop, said: “It’s been a bit crazy really. My parents came to visit on Christmas day and they had this letter from Europe addressed to my maiden name, Lemon.
Since receiving the letter, Mrs Averianov has been in contact with Mr Lateur via email and asked to see photographs of where the bottle was found.
He told her: “I am keeping your little letter on my piano. I know you are no longer a little girl but you asked me to write you so I have.”
Mrs Averianov’s father, John Lemon, 68, had encouraged his daughter to throw the message into the sea on a family holiday and now she is considering doing the same for her five-year-old son Maksim.
She said: “I’ll probably wait until he’s a bit older and can understand and write a letter, but maybe we’ll do it by attaching it to a balloon.”
From http://www.dailymail.co.uk, (Jan,2014)When did Zoe Lemon write the letter?
| A．In 1990. | B．In 1991. | C．In 2013. | D．In 2014 |
What does the underlined phrase in paragraph 6 mean?
| A．her given name | B．her nick name |
| C．family name used before marriage | D．family name used after marriage |
What can we know about the letter written 23 years ago?
| A．Its reply was received by Zoe herself. |
| B．It is still carefully kept by Mr Lateur. |
| C．Zoe was sure it would be replied one day. |
| D．Zoe’s father discouraged her from writing it. |
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
| A．An Unexpected Letter | B．A Reply Waited for Long |
| C．A Reply from a Stranger | D．A Letter from a Faraway Land |
Guide dogs are going to be available for the children who are unable to see normally in the UK for the first time, as the age limit is to be removed. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is to begin training dogs to help blind people under the age of 16.
The association says too many youngsters with impaired eyesight are lacking in independence. They have only a limited social life because of their disability. Giving some of them guide dogs at a younger age is intended to help them to widen their range of activities and to improve their sense of self-confidence and independence. Guide dogs for these teenagers will begin to be provided from next year. There has been an experimental project to test the use of guide dogs with younger people.
Charlotte, aged 14, was among the youngest guide dog owners. She had been gradually losing her eyesight since the age of eight, and lost her eyesight completely this year. She has been assisted by a two-year-old guide dog. Charlotte used to have a long stick to help her move around, but having a guide dog allows her much more freedom and makes her feel safer.
However, the association says there is a worryingly patchy supply of services for the young blind people across the UK, and it calls for national standards to be introduced. As with adult blind people, only a small number of them are likely to be considered suitable for a guide dog. Most will continue to rely on extra help and training from education and social services. We can learn from the text that owning guide dogs .
| A．may meet with difficulties sometimes |
| B．is beneficial to blind children’s development |
| C．became possible in the UK recently |
| D．is quite universal in the UK |
According to the text, Charlotte’s example proves that .
| A．it is necessary to carry out the experimental project |
| B．guide dogs can get along well with disabled people |
| C．the association’s opinion is not quite right |
| D．youngsters need companions and friends |
What does the underlined word “patchy” in the last paragraph probably mean?
| A．Endless. | B．Perfect. | C．Inadequate. | D．Diverse. |
What is the main idea of the text?
| A．Blind people need guide dogs’ assistance in their daily life. |
| B．Age limit for the blind to have guide dogs is to be removed. |
| C．More guide dogs will be trained in the UK. |
| D．The project of using guide dogs is to begin. |
SYDNEY 2005-01-01 08:30—Mother of two, Jillian Searle, had to choose between her children when she made a life—or—death decision.
Swept up by mountainous tsunami waves at a Thai resort, she could not hold on to both her young sons and survive. Fighting to stay above the waters, she had to choose which one would have to take his chances in the swirling torrent.
“I knew I had to let go of one of them and I just thought I’d better let go of the one that’s the older,” she told Sky News television in a report broadcast on Thursday. She said she was accompanied by the two, Lachie, 5, and two—year—old Blake, and their father, Brad, who had watched the drama helplessly from their first-floor hotel room, when the waves struck.” And I was screaming, trying to find him, and we thought he was dead.”she told reporters on arrival back in Australia.
Lachie was found alive about 2 hours later clinging to a door and looked uninjured as his mother spoke to reporters.
British surfer Martin Markwell is also a lucky man. He had always dreamed of catching that perfect wave—but when it finally came along, it was a nightmare. He was on his surfboard when he was swept up by a tsunami wave.
“It was really terrible because I was surfing, I was really surfing on a wave I wasn’t supposed to be on,”he said. “As an experienced surfer, when I saw the wave come I realized something was wrong, but I couldn’t escape because my surfboard was tied to my ankle.”
His wife, Vicki and son Jake looked on in horror from a hotel balcony as he crashed towards the shore. Luckily, he stayed atop his board until he reached the hotel, jumped off and got to safety as the ocean rolled back to feed a much larger tsunami wave on its way. The family regrouped and ran to safety just minute before a giant tsunami wave 10 meters high.When the waves struck ,the father Brad________.
| A．reported the disaster to Sky News television |
| B．was watching a drama on TV in the hotel |
| C．tried to find his son lost in the waters |
| D．watched things going on, unable to do anything |
The underlined word”him” refers to ______
| A．an old man | B．Lachie | C．Brad | D．Blake |
Which is not true about Lachie and Martin?
| A．They and their family were at the resort when the disaster happened. |
| B．They both survived from the high waves when tsunami struck. |
| C．They were both travelers from Europe on holiday in Thailand. |
| D．They were both alive owing to their proper judgment and determination. |
Which of the following is the best title?
| A．Narrow Escape | B．Disaster Caused by Tsunami |
| C．Exciting Surfing Experience | D．Struggle Against Tsunami |
Spanish explorers called them Las Encantadas, the Enchanted Isles, and Charles Darwin used his studies of the islands as the foundation for his theory of natural selection. The Galapagos are among the world's most important scientific treasures, a group of volcanic islands surrounded by deserted beaches and inhabited by unique varieties of giant tortoise, lizards, and birds.
Yet life on this United Nations world heritage site has turned sour. Battles have broken out between fishermen and conservationists. Ecuador, which owns the islands, has sent a naval patrol (海军巡逻队) to put down disturbances.
The controversial director of the Galapagos National Park—which controls 97 percent of Galapagos land and the reserve extending to 40 miles offshore—has been fired, while an air of uneasy tension hangs over the islands, as the islanders prepare for election when they pick their representatives in Ecuador’s national assembly.
“It’s a very tense situation,” said Leonor Stjepic, director of the London-based Galapagos Conservation Trust, which raises money to help projects on the islands. “We are watching it with concern.”
The violence has been triggered by an alarming growth in the islands’ population. Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz island, housed just 45 inhabitants in the 50s. Today there are more than 10,000, while the islands' total population is more than 19,000 and growing by 6 percent a year, despite recently introduced a law to limit waves of immigrants fleeing the poor areas of Ecuador for a life “in paradise (天堂)”. On top of this, more than 100,000 tourists visit the islands every year.
Such numbers have put the islands, special ecology under intense pressure. Conservationists backed by the Ecuador government, have replied by exercising strict controls to protect the islands* iguanas, blue-footed boobies, and giant tortoises.
These moves have angered many local people, however. They want to exploit (开发利用) the islands’ waters and catch its protected species of sharks, lobsters and sea cucumbers, which can fetch high prices in Japan and South Korea.
Angry fishermen surrounded the Charles Darwin research station on Santa Cruz last February, threatened to kill Lonesome George—the last surviving member of the Pinta Island species of the Galapagos giant tortoise.
The situation got improved after the Ecuador government made concessions (让步) by increasing fishing quotas (配额), which angered conservationists. “It is tragic, the short-term gain of a few fishermen versus the long-term survival of the Galapagos,” said John McCosker of the California Academy of Sciences. “They are killing the golden goose.”
Then, the Ecuador government appointed Fausto Cepeda as the national park's new director, a post that has become a political football for the mainland government. There have been nine directors in the past 18 months.
This appointment was particularly controversial, however. Cepeda was known to have close ties with the fishing industry, and the rangers (管理员),who run the national park and reserve, rebelled.
More than 300 staged a sit-in at the park’s headquarters and prevented Cepeda from taking up his post. A battle broke out, and at least two people suffered serious injuries. Eventually, Cepeda—with the fishermen’s help- entered the park. “I am in office, i am in control. And I am trying to lower the tension,” he announced.
The Ecuador government took no chances, and sent a patrol boat to maintain the peace. A few days later, Ecuador Environment Minister Fabian Valdivicso met representatives of rangers. After discussions, he told newspapers that he had decided to remove Cepeda from the post.
However, as the population continues to rise, the long-term pressures on the islands are serious and will not disappear that easily.
“We have to balance its special environment with the needs of local people. In that sense, it is a microcosm (缩影) for all the other threatened parts of the world. So getting it right here is going to be a very, very important trick to pull off,” said Stjepic.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．The island’s swelling population. |
| B．The law to limit waves of immigrants. |
| C．A life in paradise. |
| D．The tourists’ visiting the islands every year. |
How significant were the islands for Charles Darwin?
| A．He based his theory on his studies there. |
| B．He built the Charles Darwin research center there. |
| C．He advocated the balance between ecology and people there. |
| D．He found the last surviving giant tortoise there. |
What is the primary contributing factor to the conflict between conservationists and fishermen?
| A．The dismissal of the previous director of the Galapagos National Park. |
| B．The exploitation of the islands. |
| C．The government's support of Galapagos Conservation Trust. |
| D．Cepeda’s close tie with the fishing industry. |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
| A．the projects of Galapagos Conservation Trust on the islands are profitable |
| B．conservationists get angry when fishermen are killing a goose |
| C．politicians from the mainland government play football on the islands |
| D．the government is trying to ease the tension |
In Paragraph 13, what does the author mean by “The Ecuador government took no chances”?
| A．The government did not seize opportunities. |
| B．The government made no compromises. |
| C．The government did not run risks. |
| D．The government shrank from responsibilities. |
First lady Michelle Obama turns 50 on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014.
Michelle Obama has spent the first half-century of her life breaking barriers and checking off a series of firsts. Now, as she reaches her milestone birthday Friday, the nation will be watching to see in what other areas she will leave her mark.
Five years after moving into the White House, and without a re-election campaign to worry about, she has more room to relax in her role and, political watchers say, possibly become more vocal (声音的) on political issues in the three years left in office.
So far, critics have complained about Michelle’s silence on issues where they expected to hear her voice: Last year, at the start of her husband's second term, she disappointed advocates for tighter gun-control measures after she failed to push harder on the issue in response to the massacre (残杀) at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. She also disappointed some feminists (女权主义者) who wanted her to defend their causes instead of falling back on her self-described role as the nation’s “mom-in-chief.” Nor did she handle racial issues during her second term, as some had expected.
“The most important thing to remember is, whether you are black, white or Hispanic, you’re the first lady and the president of all the people in the United States. That’s a huge melting pot, so to reinforce (强化)that she's African American over anything else would not be wise,” said Anita McBride, who directs programming and national conferences on the legacies (遗产) of America’s first ladies and their historical influence at American University.
Valerie Jarrett, a top White House adviser and a close friend of the Obamas, said the first lady doesn't want to “spread herself too thin.”
“She really wants to have a maximum impact and to do that in fewer areas,” Jarrett told the Associated Press. “That, she said, “is better than trying to take on every single possible cause.”
But Robert Watson, a Lynn University professor, said he expects Obama to “go a little harder at issues” over the next several years. “Second-term first ladies usually feel more at ease to speak more forcefully about issues close to their heart,” he said.
Myra Gutin, a Ryder University communications professor and frequent lecturer on first ladies, said she expects Obama to continue making both of them a priority in her remaining years in the White House, given their success. Michelle launched the “Let’s Move” campaign in 2010. It in particular has gained widespread support, ranging from the National Football League to the Sesame Street franchise (特许), which even gave permission to the produce industry to use its licensed characters for free on fruits and vegetables.
“There’s no such thing as a traditional first lady, not anymore in this technology-filled world. Is Mrs. Obama cutting edge? Is she an activist? No. As first ladies go, I think she’s been politically careful because she does not want there to be a major flare-up that would require her husband to use his political capital to clean up,” she said. “But she’s not exactly just sitting in the White House pouring tea and having receptions, either.”Critics were disappointed with Michelle because _______.
| A．she didn’t put gun-control measures into effect |
| B．she failed some feminists to stand out to be a career woman |
| C．she didn’t solve some racial problems |
| D．she failed to voice her opinion on some issues |
According to the professors or advisers, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．It’s not wise to reinforce Michelle is African American over anything else. |
| B．It’s better for Michelle to have a maximum impact than to take on every possible cause. |
| C．It's expected for Michelle to go a little harder at issues. |
| D．It’s a tradition for first ladies to stay out of political issues. |
What does the underlined phrase “spread herself too thin” in Paragraph 6 mean?
| A．Try to do a lot of work at the same time. |
| B．Get very tired. |
| C．Try to improve physical fitness. |
| D．Move herself away from others. |
In Paragraph 9, the campaign “Let’s Move” might be aiming to help people _______..
a. gain widespread support
b. become more physically active
c. have access to healthier foods
d. raise awareness about gun control
| A．a, c | B．a, b | C．b, c | D．c, d |
With the average home in the capital selling for 19,548 yuan a meter in November, a tiny mobile home built by a 24-year-old office worker is creating a stir(震动) online.
Dai Haifei built the 6-square-meter pad(住所) because he could not afford to buy or rent in the capital.
Dai’s new home costs him 6,400 yuan and he has been living in it for nearly two months in courtyard at Chengfu Road, Haidian district.
Dai, who is one of the millions of migrants who moved to the capital from other parts of China seeking a better life and better job, said he realized his financial burden had become too great.
The Hunan native said he simply could not make ends meet(收支相抵) when he became an intern at a Beijing-based construction design company in 2009.
“I rented a home at the very beginning--a small room in an apartment that cost me about 900 yuan per month,” said Dai in an interview with local media. “It was too expensive for me. ”Dai’s father works on a construction site in his hometown and his mother is a cleaner.
Dai, who ended up becoming a formal employee of the company, figured out his own way to solve the problem---with inspiration from a housing design project at his company’s exhibition early this year.
The project, named“An egg given birth to by the city”, included a series of egg-like movable houses, with a karaoke house, chair house and trader’s house in it.
Dai, who borrowed 6,400 yuan from an older cousin and who got additional help from several friends, decided to make one of his own. He spent nearly two months building his“egg house”in his hometown, a village in southeast Hunan that is around 1,700 kilometers from Beijing.Where is this passage probably taken from?
| A．A story book. | B．A cartoon film. | C．A news report. | D．A research report. |
What is Dai Haifei?
| A．An official of government. | B．A journalist. |
| C．An office worker of a company. | D．A manager of a company. |
Why did he build the pad?
| A．Because he will sell it for money. |
| B．Because he has no house to get married in. |
| C．Because he doesn’t have enough money to buy or rent a house. |
| D．Because he wants to get help from the society. |
Which statement is not TRUE?
| A．He comes from a Hunan village. |
| B．He has lived in the egg home for two months. |
| C．He got the idea from a friend. |
| D．He once rented a room. |
What’s the writer’s attitude?
| A．Supporting. | B．Puzzled. | C．Criticizing. | D．Objective. |
As a group of young African immigrants struggle to adapt to life in the United States, an after-school drama program at White Oak Middle School aims to make their lives easier by first making them a little harder.
Project X is a program that uses drama, dance, poetry and other creative outlets to help students discuss the tough and sometimes painful problems they face as pre-teen immigrants with language barriers. A final unveiling of their creation will be performed for friends and family at the end of the year at Imagination Stage.
Wanjiru Kamau, coordinator of White Oak’s African Club said it’s important to give troubles to group members to help them find their place at the school. “It comforts those who are uncomfortable, and it discomforts those who are comfortable,” Kamau said of Project X.
Kamau teamed up with Imagination Stage after she noticed that many African students seemed uncomfortable talking about problems, such as being laughed at by their fellow students about how they look and talk. When most of the kids join the club, they speak little or no English, Kamau said. Each week, the club typically draws five to ten students who are originally from Africa for discussion sessions and the Project X programme.
“We are going to express ourselves through our words and our actions, and that’s powerful,” said teaching artist Meg Green as she introduced fill-in-the-blank poems the students wrote about their identities.
One student, Frank Ketchouang, 13, wrote, “I am from the world; I am love,” which drew oohs and aahs from the group. Ketchouang has been in the United States for less than a year, said Program Coordinator Chad Dike. When Ketchouang started attending Project X, he had been in the United States for two months and spoke no English. Now he’s one of the group’s most outgoing members and helps translate instructions from English to Creole for the group’s newest member, who is from Haiti.
Many people will give up when there’s a language barrier, “but these students prove them wrong”. Kamau said. “You do have something to give. You are important. When TV, media, etc. are bringing them down, this program is bringing them up.”Project X is intended for helping the young African immigrants to_________.
| A．get over language barriers |
| B．enrich after-school life |
| C．overcome tough problems |
| D．become more creative |
How well the members learn in the Project X program is shown by_________.
| A．their annual creative performances |
| B．their annual scores gained at school |
| C．the comments of friends and family |
| D．the comments of the program teachers |
What do we know about the Imagination Stage?
| A．It’s established by Kamau for Project X. |
| B．It’s a cooperative partner of White Oak’S African Club. |
| C．It’s a project designed by White Oak Middle School. |
| D．It’s operated once at the end of each year. |
According to the author, what Franck Ketchouang wrote was______.
| A．silly | B．simple | C．excellent | D．contradictory |
The passage is written mainly to_______.
| A．introduce the Project X program |
| B．inspire immigrants to never give up |
| C．advocate White Oak’S African Club |
| D．call for more attention to immigrants |
I was interested to read a newspaper article about a new concept in old people’s homes in France. The idea is simple, but revolutionary——combining a residential home for the elderly with a nursery school in the same building. The children and the residents eat lunch together and share activities. In the afternoons, the residents enjoy reading or telling stories to the children, and if a child is feeling sad or tired, there is always a kind lap to sit on and a cuddle(拥抱). There are trips out and birthday parties too.
The advantages are enormous for everyone concerned. The children are happy because they get a lot more individual attention, and respond well because someone has time for them. They see illness and death and learn to accept them. The residents are happy because they feel useful and needed. They are more active and more interested in life when the children are around and they take more interest in their appearance too.
Nowadays there is less and less contact between the old and the young. There are many reasons for this, including the breakdown of the extended family, working parents with no time to care for aging relations, families that have moved away, and smaller flats with no room for grandparents. But the result is the same——increasing numbers of children without grandparents and old people who have no contact with children. And more old people who are lonely and feel useless, along with more and more families with young children who desperately need more support. It’s a major problem in many societies.
That’s why intergenerational programmes, designed to bring the old and the young together, are growing in popularity all over the world. There are examples of successful attempts all over the world. Using young people to teach IT skills to older people is one obvious example. Using old people as volunteer assistants in schools is another, perhaps reading with children who need extra attention.A nursery school is a place where _______.
| A．future nurses are trained |
| B．the elderly live |
| C．children are taken care of |
| D．the old join in activities |
Which is true according to the passage?
| A．A number of assistants are employed to take care of the children. |
| B．The new concept benefits both the elderly and the children. |
| C．The children become stronger after getting more individual attention. |
| D．The children learn that sick people will die. |
What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 3?
| A．The reason why the old and the young are separated. |
| B．The support children need. |
| C．One reason why children don’t live with their grandparents. |
| D．The problem that the old and the young are separated. |
What does the “intergenerational programmes” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．Combining elderly homes with nursery schools. |
| B．Letting the children and the residents eat together. |
| C．Asking young people to teach IT skills to older people. |
| D．Using old people as volunteer assistants in schools. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Old people’s Homes in France |
| B．Building Bridges of Life |
| C．A Solution to the Elderly Problem |
| D．Children’s New Happy Life |
BEIJING---Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to promote the country’s housing security and supply to guarantee people’s basic residential needs
On Tuesday, Xi said that pushing the construction of the housing supply system is a solid project that benefits all people．
‘‘Solving the housing issue is a long-term task,” the president said “China still faces problems such as insufficient affordable housing and imbalances in housing distribution”
Xi said future work will sick to market-oriented reform．and properly handle the roles of government and the market, economic and social functions of housing development，relations of necessity and possibility and the difference between housing security and welfare trap
Meanwhile，he vowed(誓言)the government shall meet the basic housing needs of the group troubled by inadaptable labor skills, lack of job opportunities or low income
Xi pointed out that the general scheme of building China’s housing supply system is that the government realizes most of the basic needs while leaving other diversified demands for the market rules
“China will spare no effort to increase housing supply while pursuing affordable, environmentally friendly and safe living standards in accordance with the country’s practical situation，”he said
According to the country’s 12th five-year plan，China will increase its quantity of affordable housing go that it covers 20 percent of all residential areas by 2015 through construction of 36 million affordable housing units，including renovation(改造)of run-down neighborhoods
Xi said the government will first ensure the quality and safety of these buildings and strive to accomplish the goal while speeding up the construction of public rental and low—rent housing as well as the renovation of run-down neighborhoods
Land and financial policies will be further improved to support the project，Xi said，adding the government will explore and encourage ways for non-profit institutions to participate in the construction and management of affordable housing．
The top leader also stressed that China shall strengthen supervision，establish standard management system and punish illegal occupation of affordable housing units.The housing supply system is constructed to
| A．guarantee people’s basic residential needs |
| B．handle the roles of government and housing market |
| C．improve land and financial policies |
| D．punish illegal occupation of affordable housing units |
As for solving China’s housing problems．President Xi is ．
| A．helpless | B．pessimistic | C．determined | D．uncertain |
Building China’s housing supply system will .
A．be put to an end soon
B cover all residential needs by 2015
C．especially benefit low-income people
D．encourage profit-driven organizations What would be the best title for this passage ?
| A．Handle China’s Housing Issues and Policies |
| B．Better China’s Housing Security and Supply System |
| C．Balance the Functions 0foovermnent and Market Rules |
| D．Strengthen Housing Supervision and Management |
(NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River.
Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year-old Julien Duret from France was the man who left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.
He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Seaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dived in after him.
“I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.”
Duret, an engineer on vacation, was walking with his girlfriend along the pier(码头) when he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. Immediately, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.
When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.
Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from onlookers. Duret caught a taxi with his girlfriend shortly after.
The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his story of heroism had greatly moved New York until he was leaving the city the next morning.
“I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same thing.”Why was Duret in New York?
| A．To meet his girlfriend. | B．To spend his holiday. |
| C．To work as an engineer. | D．To visit the Andersons. |
What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?
| A．He was interviewed by a newspaper. |
| B．He went to the hospital in the ambulance. |
| C．He disappeared from the spot quickly. |
| D．He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Duret thought twice before he jumped into the cold water. |
| B．Duret dived into the water before the girl’s father. |
| C．The rescue happened on the day Duret left for France. |
| D．Duret didn’t think he was brave enough to be a hero. |
What is probably the headline of this news report?
| A．A Careless Father | B．A Poor Girl |
| C．Warm-hearted Onlookers | D．Brave Frenchman Found |
Tickets for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil have gone on sale, with fans able to apply on FIFA’s website. FIFA is expecting a similar demand to that in Germany 2006, when there were about seven applicants for every ticket of the 64 matches. And now around 3.3 million tickets will be available for the matches in 2014.
Tickets will range in price from ￡58 for first-round matches to ￡632 for the final at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian citizens over 60, local students and members of some social programs can purchase tickets for ￡15.
The Price of Football - World Cup 2014
| Items |
Prices |
Items |
Prices |
| Ticket |
￡58-￡112 |
Final ticket |
￡281-￡632 |
| Sun cream |
￡9.50 |
T-shirt |
￡13 |
| McDonald’s meal |
￡11 |
Water |
￡1.28 |
| Imported beer |
￡3.83 |
Domestic beer |
￡1.91 |
| Coffee |
￡2.55 |
Average dinner |
￡29 |
“It’s always difficult to predict,” said FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil. “But I truly believe that it will be more similar to what happened in Germany than in South Africa in 2010.”According to FIFA, the 2006 World Cup was attended by more than 3.3 million fans. Almost two million tickets were sold to the general public in South Africa, although the number of applications during the first ticketing phase was significantly lower.
All applications made before 10th October 2013 will enter a random selection draw if there are not enough tickets available to fulfill all requests. The sales of the leftover tickets will begin on 5th November on a first-come, first-served basis. Another phase will begin on 8th December after the draw is made. The tournament begins on 12th June, with Brazil playing the opener in Sao Paulo.
A study on the price of World Cup 2014 looked at the ticket prices and the cost of travelling to Brazil and found that our English fans face hotel costs of between ￡46 and ￡797 a night, while packages range from ￡2,999 to ￡14,999.How much should a Brazilian student pay for the opening match?
| A．￡15 | B．￡58 | C．￡112 | D．￡632 |
From the passage we know that Thierry Weil_______.
| A．feels proud of what they achieved in South Africa 2010 |
| B．feels worried about the sales of the tickets for Brazil 2014 |
| C．holds the belief that Brazil 2014 will be the greatest world cup |
| D．believes that more fans will attend Brazil 2014 than South Africa 2010 |
What will FIFA do if there are not enough tickets available for requests before Oct.10, 2013?
| A．They will sell the spare tickets to the applicants. |
| B．They will sell on a first-come, first-served basis. |
| C．They will choose the applicants based on a random selection draw. |
| D．They will sell them the tickets to be sold on Dec.8. |
He’s not just a pretty face! Famous actor Josh Duhamel leads a group of youngsters in a two-mile charity beach run. He may be an attractive movie star, but there’s more to Josh Duhamel than a pretty face. The 40-year-old actor led a youth charity fun run for the third year running on Sunday, in aid of the Red Cross giving a hand to countries and places suffering natural disasters.
Josh sported the charity’s T-shirt and black baseball cap with black jogging bottoms as he joined a group of youngsters in the two-mile effort on Santa Monica Beach. Josh was clearly enjoying himself today, sprinting across the finish line raising both arms in a victory salute.
In March last year and January of 2010, Josh led thousands of runners and raised over $200,000 for both Japanese and Haitian earthquake relief efforts. And donations collected at this year’s Youth Run will go towards the American Red Cross PrepareSoCal campaign which helps Southern Californians get ready for disasters.
“I do the youth run because I feel that younger people may not be able to donate a lot of money but that doesn’t mean that they can’t contribute and make a difference,” Josh told the Red Cross website. “Bringing students of L. A. together for these events not only raises a lot of money, but also raises the spirits of those affected by any disaster and helps everyone young and old.”
Duhamel had won the title of Male Model of the Year in an International Modeling and Talent Association competition in 1997. Duhamel began his acting career as an extra in the music videos for Donna Summer’s song, “I Will Go With You” in 1998. Later that year, he won the role of Leo Pres on the ABC soap opera “All My Children”. He then began appearing in films, and his acting in the film “Transformers” as well as its sequels was so successful that he became a pop film star.Josh Duhamel led the beach run to help the Red Cross ________.
| A．raise money for places suffering from disasters |
| B．raise money for people suffering from diseases |
| C．find more young volunteers especially teenagers |
| D．build up a fame of having the spirit of entertainment |
How did Josh Duhamel feel about his joining in the beach run?
| A．He felt it the best way to kill time especially on weekends. |
| B．He disliked it when there were reporters coming here. |
| C．He thought it a best chance to make himself famous. |
| D．He found it enjoyable and exciting to be a member. |
What will the received donations of this year be used for?
| A．Helping Japanese and Haitian defeat earthquakes. |
| B．Helping Southern Californians get ready for disasters. |
| C．Helping Northern Californians get ready for disasters. |
| D．Helping relieve Southern Californians defeat earthquakes. |
What is the aim of the youth run of L. A.?
A. To persuade more young people to keep the earth green.
B. To make the young realize the influence of famous people.
C. To inspire those affected by disasters and give them a hand.
D. To raise as much money as possible to help the old and young.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．The importance of the youth run started by the Red Cross. |
| B．The methods to join in the youth run led by Josh Duhamel. |
| C．The reason why Josh Duhamel leads the youth run. |
| D．The experiences and achievements of Josh Duhamel. |
A pair of giant pandas from southwest China’s Sichuan Province arrived at their new home in Belgium’s Pairi Daiza zoo, some 60km southwest of downtown Brussels, at around 15:00 local time (1400GMT) on February 23, 2014.
About 2,500 people, many of them excited children waving national flags of China and Belgium as well as panda-decorated flags or wearing costume of Panda greeted the pandas along the road to the zoo.
Visitors today can only observe the pandas through a closed-circuit television system in the reception.
Officials said they wanted the pandas fully adapted to their new home before making public debut in April.
The pandas, Xing Hui, the male and Hao Hao, the female, are both 4 years old and are on lease from a breeding center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
The lease term is 15 years, according to officials with the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas, the world’s largest research base for the species.
“It’s a good thing for Belgium.” Nicole Duflot, a grandmother coming to the zoo with her husband and her grandson told Xinhua, “We can’t see the Panda today but it’s a great thing for us to come here.”
The Pandas will be living in a panda hall of 5,300 square meters within the zoo.
“I hope Xing Hui and Hao Hao will enhance friendship between Belgium and China.” Liao Liqiang, the Chinese ambassador to Belgium, said during an interview with Xinhua.What was the main purpose of China leasing pandas to Belgium?
| A．We were supposed to make money from Belgium. |
| B．We meant to improve the relationship between China and Belgium. |
| C．We expected to amuse the Belgian children. |
| D．We wanted to make the pandas adapt to the environment abroad. |
The underlined word “debut” probably means ___________.
| A．first appearance | B．ceremony | C．announcement | D．argument |
According to the passage, which statement is right?
| A．Xing Hui and Hao Hao will live in the city centre of Brussels. |
| B．Xing Hui and Hao Hao were very popular with the elders in Belgium. |
| C．Xing Hui and Hao Hao will come back to China in 2029. |
| D．Xing Hui and Hao Hao were born in 2008 in Sichuan Province. |
On the first day of the pandas’ arrival, visitors could ___________.
| A．gently feel the pandas along the road to the zoo |
| B．get into the panda hall of 5,300 square meters |
| C．take pictures with the pandas freely |
| D．watch the pandas through the TV system in the zoo |
From the passage, we can predict that______________.
| A．Belgium’s Pairi Daiza Zoo will make much money soon |
| B．Xing Hui and Hao Hao will be very well treated in their new home |
| C．Belgium’s Pairi Daiza Zoo will serve the Chinese visitors with free admission |
| D．pandas will be best-sellers in Belgium |
Dining in a completely dark room, unaware what’s on your plate while sitting next to a complete stranger may not sound like an ideal restaurant experience but it’s certainly an intriguing way to spend a rainy night in London.
Dans le Noir, close to London’s financial district, is a restaurant full of blind waiters and waitresses who become your eyes around the restaurant, whose original Paris branch opened in 2004.
In the bar with the light, you choose whether you want the fish, meat or vegetable, but the dishes themselves remain a secret, as do the ingredients of the “surprise” cocktails. Bags, coats and devices(设备)that light up, including watches and mobile phones, are kept in the bar. Placing your hand on the shoulder of your guide, you are led to a table in a black dining room that sets up to 60 people. And it is dark.
The waiters tell you when the food is being placed down in front of you, then the fun begins, trying to get food into your mouth, then identifying just what it is that’s on your plate, and finally whether you have missed any of it.
It’s also a great chance to break social convention and eat using your fingers. Those same fingers are also the only way you can tell how much wine you’re pouring into your glass.
The happy atmosphere in the dining room also made the night memorable. You can’t really avoid talking to the person next to you at the long tables and guessing what the dishes are certainly provides adequate fuel for the conversations.
All will be revealed at the end of the meal when you are led back out into the lit bar. Not only do you finally get to see what you’ve just been eating but also who you’ ve been talking to for the last 90 minutes.What does the underlined word “intriguing.” in the first paragraph mean?
A terrible B. interesting C. expensive D. newAccording to the text, “ Dans le Noir”__________.
A is far from London’s financial district
B has its first branch opened in Britain
C is very popular among blind customers
D has a dining room which can seat up to 60 peopleWe know from the text that the customers in “Dans le Noir”_________.
| A．are forbidden to eat with their fingers |
| B．can talk to the strangers at table |
| C．will book the menu in a dark bar |
| D．can take their mobile phones into the dining room |
What’s the main purpose of the text?
| A．To help blind people find a job in restaurants. |
| B．To show how to open a restaurant with a new idea. |
| C．To show how to enjoy the time in a dark restaurant. |
| D．To introduce and attract customers to “Dans le Noir ”. |
The Norwegian Government is doing its best to keep the oil industry under control. A new law limits exploration to an area south of the southern end of the long coastline; production limits have been laid down (though these have already been raised); and oil companies have not been allowed to employ more than a limited number of foreign workers. But the oil industry has a way of getting over such problems, and few people believe that the Government will be able to hold things back for long. As one Norwegian politician said last week: “ We will soon be changed beyond all recognition.”
Ever since the war, the Government has been carrying out a program of development in the area north of the Arctic Circle. During the past few years this program has had a great deal of success. Tromso has been built up into a local capital with a university, a large hospital and a healthy industry. But the oil industry has already started to draw people south, and within a few years the whole northern policy could be in ruins.
The effects of the oil industry would not be limited to the north, however. With nearly 100 percent employment, everyone can see a situation developing in which the service industries and the tourist industry will lose more of their workers to the oil industry. Some smaller industries might even disappear altogether when it becomes cheaper to buy goods from abroad.
The real argument over oil is its threat to the Norwegian way of life. Farmers and fishermen do not make up most of the population, but they are an important part of it, because Norwegians see in them many of the qualities that they regard with pride as essentially Norwegian. And it is the farmers and the fishermen who are most critical of the oil industry because of the damage that it might cause to the countryside and to the sea.The Norwegian Government would prefer the oil industry to ______.
| A．provide more jobs for foreign workers |
| B．slow down the rate of its development |
| C．sell the oil it is producing abroad |
| D．develop more quickly than at present |
The Norwegian Government has tried to ______.
| A．encourage the oil companies to discover new oil sources |
| B．prevent oil companies employing people from northern Norway |
| C．help the oil companies solve many of their problems |
| D．keep the oil industry to something near its present size |
According to the passage, the oil industry might lead northern Norway to ______.
| A．the development of industry |
| B．a growth in population |
| C．the failure of the development program |
| D．the development of new towns |
In the south, one effect to the development of the oil industry might be ______.
| A．a large reduction on unemployment |
| B．a growth in the tourist industry |
| C．a reduction in the number of existing industries |
| D．the development of a number of service industries |
Norwegian farmers and fishermen have an important influence because ______.
| A．they form such a large part of Norwegian ideal |
| B．their lives and values represent the Norwegian ideal |
| C．their work is so useful to the rest of Norwegian society |
| D．they regard oil as a threat to the Norwegian way of life |
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