Self-employed private physicians who charge a fee for each patient visit are the foundation of medical practice in the United States. Most physicians have a contract relationship with one or more hospitals in the community. They send their patients to this hospital, which usually charges patients according to the number of days they stay and the facilities (operating room, tests, medicines that they use). Some hospitals belong to a city, a state or, in the case of veteran's hospitals, a federal government agency. Others are operated by religious orders(教会) or other non-profit groups.
Some medical doctors are on salary. Salaried physicians may work as hospital staff members, or residents, who are often still in training. They may teach in medical schools, be hired by corporations to care for their workers or work for the federal government’s Public Health Service.
Physicians are among the best paid professionals in the United States. In the 1980s, it was not uncommon for medical doctors to earn incomes of more than $ 100,000 a year. Specialists, particularly surgeons, might earn several times that amount. Physicians list many reasons why they deserve to be so well rewarded for their work. One reason is the long and expensive preparation required to become a physician in the United States. Most would-be physicians first attend college for four years, which can cost nearly $ 20,000 a year at one of the best private institutions. Prospective physicians then attend medical school for four years. Tuition alone can exceed $ 10,000 a year. By the time they have obtained their medical degrees, many young physicians are deeply in debt. They still face three to five years of residency(实习阶段) in a hospital, the first year as an apprentice physician. The hours are long and the pay is relatively low.
Setting up a medical practice is expensive, too. Sometimes several physicians will decide to establish a group practice, so they can share the expense of maintaining an office and buying equipment. These physicians also take care of each other’s patients in emergencies.
Physicians work long hours and must accept a great deal of responsibility. Many medical procedures, even quite routine ones, involve risk. It is understandable that physicians want to be well rewarded for making decisions which can mean the difference between life and death.According to the passage, it is very unlikely that an American hospital is owned by ______.
| A．a church | B．a corporation | C．a city | D．a state |
The expenses for becoming a doctor are spent on _______.
| A．schooling and retraining |
| B．practice in a hospital |
| C．facilities he or she uses |
| D．education he or she receives |
According to the passage, how long does it take for a would-be physician to become an independent physician in the USA?
| A．About seven year. | B．Eight years. |
| C．Ten years. | D．About twelve years. |
Sometimes several physicians set up a group medical practice mainly because _______.
| A．there are so many patients that it is difficult for one physician to take care all of them |
| B．they can take turns to work long hours |
| C．facilities may be too much of a burden for one physician to shoulder |
| D．no one wants to assume too much responsibility |
Which of the following statements could fully express the author’s view towards physicians’ payment in the USA?
| A．For their expensive education and their responsibility, they deserve a handsome pay. |
| B．It is reasonable for physicians to have a large income because their work is very dangerous. |
| C．Physicians should be better paid because they work long hours under bad conditions. |
| D．Physicians have great responsibility, so it is understandable that they should be well rewarded. |
This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers (young people aged from13~19)from all over the world will spend about ten months in U.S. homes. They will attend U.S. schools, meet U.S. teenagers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world.
Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George’s family. In turn, George’s son Mike spent a year in Fred’s home in America.
Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months’ study the language began to come to him. School was completely different from what he had expected—much harder. Students rose respectfully when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities.
Family life, too, was different. The father’s word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual. Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car.
“Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it.”
At the same time, in America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea. “I suppose I should criticize(批评)American schools,” he said. “It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens. There ought to be some middle ground between the two.”This year ________teenagers will take part in the exchange programme between America and other countries.
| A．twenty-three hundred | B．thirteen hundred |
| C．over three thousand | D．less than two thousand |
The whole exchange programme is mainly to__________.
| A．help teenagers in other countries know the real America |
| B．send students in America to travel in Germany |
| C．let students learn something about other countries |
| D．have teenagers learn new languages |
Fred and Mike agree that__________.
| A．America food tasted better than German food |
| B．German schools were harder than American schools |
| C．Americans and Germans were both friendly |
| D．There were more cars on the streets in America |
What is particular in American schools is that________.
| A．there is some middle ground between the two teaching buildings |
| B．there are a lot of after-school activities |
| C．students usually take fourteen subjects in all |
| D．students go out side to enjoy themselves in a car |
Roger Conner is a modern-day Horatio Alger hero. Roger started out as an unpaid worker in a small flower shop. He has become the owner of a florist company whose sales are well over $100 000 a year.
One day when Roger was only twelve, he stopped at a local flower shop. He asked the owner if he could work for him, without pay, in order to learn the business. Roger started working every day after school and on weekends. After two years on the job, he finally asked for a small salary. The owners told him he “wasn't good enough to be paid.” So he quit, and found a paying job at another local flower shop. He worked hard there, but after six months they laid him off because business was slow.
Not discouraged, Roger decided to do it alone and started his own flower store in a basement in his town. He started his business with only sixty-five dollars. He bought old refrigerators at garage sales and knocked the shelves out. This turned them into coolers for his fresh-cut flowers. His business grew rapidly as he built up a reputation for top quality and fine service.
In 1977, Roger bought out the flower store where he had worked without pay for over two years. The people who said he “wasn’t good enough to be paid” were astonished to find that they were being taken over by a teenager. He had plans to renovate (振兴) the whole store.
One of the reasons the owners sold out to Roger was that the store wasn't doing well. But after Roger took over ownership and redid the store, business started booming. In fact, business was so good that after one year, he celebrated by buying out the other store where he had worked. Roger then combined both stores and moved to a location in the center of his town.
The new store has 2 000 square feet and seven employees. And he did it all before he reached the age of twenty.The author is wants to show us that people who want to succeed in business should ________.
| A．work without pay |
| B．own a flower shop |
| C．work hard and never give up |
| D．work as teenagers |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．He worked for two years without pay. |
| B．He needed luck to be successful. |
| C．He opened his first flower business in a basement. |
| D．He became successful before the age of twenty. |
The passage may be a ________.
| A．newspaper report | B．humorous story |
| C．television play | D．scientific story |
The underlined part in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.
| A．employed him |
| B．didn’t let him work there |
| C．paid him money |
| D．were proud of him |
From the passage, a “Horatio Alger hero” may be the kind of person who________.
| A．works hard in the flower business |
| B．was born into a rich family |
| C．starts out poor and becomes rich |
| D．becomes famous as a result of good luck |
Electronic books have changed the way many people read for pleasure. Now online textbooks are changing the way some students learn and some teachers teach.
More than one hundred seventy-five thousand students attend the public schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside Washington. Last year, the school system used digital books in fifteen schools. This school year, middle schools and high schools changed from printed to electronic textbooks in their social studies classes.
Luke Rosa is a history teacher at Falls Church High School. His students work on laptop computers at school. He explains the idea to them this way. “I mean, it’s just like a regular textbook, except it’s got it all online.”
Peter Noonan, an assistant superintendent (助理监督) of schools, said, “The world’s changing. And the online textbooks can change right along with the events that are happening.” Digital books also cost less than printed textbooks, he said.
A student named Melanie Reuter said, “I don’t have to carry a textbook around, so that’s nice.”
But another student said, “I don’t like it because the Internet sometimes doesn’t work.”
Students also need access to the Internet when they are not at school. About ten percent of students in Fairfax Country do not have a computer or online access at home. Public libraries in the country have free Internet. There are also after-school computer labs as well as computer clubhouse supported by the country. Middle school student Slieman Hakim is happy about that. He said, “My family only has one computer; my sister and I both do our homework on it. So I come here to do my homework. It’s good.”
Other school systems in the area are also considering online textbooks. Which of the following is /are NOT used when students have social studies classes?
| A．Paper textbooks. | B．The Internet. |
| C．Computers. | D．Electronic textbooks. |
According to the passage, one of the disadvantages of digital textbooks is that_________.
| A．they are more expensive |
| B．they can’t be used if the computer is offline |
| C．they’re soon out of date |
| D．reading online does harm to the students’ eyes |
Why does Slieman Hakim feel happy?
| A．He is offered a free computer to do his homework. |
| B．He doesn’t have to do his homework at home. |
| C．He has access to the Internet to study at any place. |
| D．He needn’t share a computer with his sister to do homework. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The lessons online are completely different from those in paper textbooks. |
| B．Digital textbooks are more beautiful than paper textbooks. |
| C．All students like digital textbooks because they are new. |
| D．Students can do their homework in the computer clubhouses. |
The passage aims to ________.
| A．report the use of electronic textbooks in school |
| B．show how to use electronic textbooks |
| C．encourage more schools to use electronic textbooks |
| D．tell readers electronic textbooks will replace regular textbooks |
Tens of thousands of smartphone applications are running ads from the overwhelming(势不可挡的) advertising networks that change smartphone settings and copy people’s contact information without permission.
Aggressive ad networks can disguise（假扮） ads as text message notifications (通告), and sometimes change browser settings and bookmarks. Often, the ads will upload your contacts list to the ad network’s servers--- information that the ad network can then sell to marketers.
Sounds scary? It’s not a giant problem yet, but it’s a growing one. As many as 5% of free mobile apps use an “aggressive” ad network to make money, according to Lookout, a San Francisco-based mobile security company. PhoneLiving was one of the most popular app developers to use these kinds of ad networks; their dozens of talking animal apps have been downloaded several million times. Later, PhoneLiving says it has mended its ways. The company admittedusing invasive techniques to make money from its apps, but said it dropped those methods at the start of July because of bad reviews and declining downloads.
The most popular type of apps that use aggressive ad networks are “Personalisation” apps, which include wallpapers. Comic and entertainment apps are also among the most likely to have rogue(凶猛的) ad networks running behind the scenes. Like aggressive pop-ups on PCs, the bad software isn’t easy to get rid of. Though the damage can typically be removed by deleting the app, it can be hard to tell which app is causing the problems.
When developers create free mobile apps, they usually make money through ads displayed within the app. App makers don’t usually tell people which ad network they are using, which makes it hard to avoid the known offenders. The best defense is to read reviews and avoid downloading apps that have attracted many complaints.What is an example of bad behavior by the annoying mobile ads?
| A．They change browser settings and bookmarks. |
| B．They change people’s calendar settings. |
| C．They send scam text messages occasionally. |
| D．They download free versions of games. |
What do we know about PhoneLiving?
| A．Its operation model is against the will of netizens. |
| B．It was forced to admit its bad behavior. |
| C．It has changed its business model rapidly. |
| D．Its relationship with Lookout may break up. |
Why is the bad software hard to get rid of?
| A．The software runs behind the scenes. |
| B．The app is very hard to delete. |
| C．It is difficult to find the problem app. |
| D．The network antivirus is out of date. |
What does the underlined word, “ invasive”, mean in the third paragraph?
| A．innovative | B．positive | C．flexible | D．aggressive |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Mobile ads can attack your phone and steal your contacts. |
| B．Mobile ads have become popular in recent years. |
| C．Smartphones have been damaged by mobile ads. |
| D．You may download some aggressive apps unconsciously. |
Everybody is happy as his pay rises. Yet pleasure at your own can disappear if you learn that a fellow worker has been given a bigger one. Indeed, if he is known as being lazy, you might even be quite cross. Such behavior is regarded as “all too human”, with the underlying belief that other animals would not be able to have this finely developed sense of sadness. But a study by Sarah Brosnan of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, which has just been published in Nature, suggests that it is all too monkey, as well.
The researchers studied the behaviors of some kind of female brown monkeys. They look smart. They are good-natured, co-operative creatures, and they share their food happily. Above all, like female human beings, they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of “goods and services” than males.
Such characteristics make them perfect subjects for Doctor Brosnan’s study. The researchers spent two years teaching their monkeys to exchange tokens (奖券) for food. Normally, the monkeys were happy enough to exchange pieces of rock for pieces of cucumber. However, when two monkeys were placed in separate and connected rooms, so that each other could observe what the other is getting in return for its rock, they became quite different.
In the world of monkeys，grapes are excellent goods (and much preferable to cucumbers). So when one monkey was handed a grape in exchange for her token, the second was not willing to hand hers over for a mere piece of cucumber. And if one received a grape without having to provide her token in exchange at all, the other either shook her own token at the researcher, or refused to accept the cucumber. Indeed, the mere presence of a grape in the other room (without an actual monkey to eat it) was enough to bring about dissatisfaction in a female monkey.
The researches suggest that these monkeys, like humans, are guided by social senses. In the wild, they are co-operative and group-living. Such co-operation is likely to be firm only when each animal feels it is not being cheated. Feelings of anger when unfairly treated, it seems, are not the nature of human beings alone. Refusing a smaller reward completely makes these feelings clear to other animals of the group. However, whether such a sense of fairness developed independently in monkeys and humans, or whether it comes from the common roots that they had 35 million years ago, is, as yet, an unanswered question. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Only monkeys and humans can have the sense of fairness in the world. |
| B．In the wild, monkeys are never unhappy to share their food with each other. |
| C．Women will show more dissatisfaction than men when unfairly treated. |
| D．Monkeys can exchange cucumbers for grapes, for grapes are more attractive. |
The underlined statement “it is all too monkey” means that ________.
| A．monkeys are also angry with lazy fellows |
| B．monkeys, like humans, tend to be envious of each other |
| C．no animals other than monkeys can develop such feelings |
| D．feeling angry at unfairness is also monkey’s nature |
Female monkeys of this kind are chosen for the research most probably because they are _________.
| A．more likely to pay attention to the value of what they get |
| B．attentive to researchers’ instructions |
| C．nice in both appearance and behaviors |
| D．more ready to help others than their male companions |
We can learn ________according to the passage?
| A．Human beings' feelings of anger are developed from the monkeys. |
| B．Cooperation between monkeys stays firm before the realization of being cheated. |
| C．In the research, male monkeys are less likely to exchange food with others. |
| D．Only monkeys and humans have the sense of fairness dating back to 35 million years ago. |
What can we infer about the monkeys in Sarah’s study?
| A．The monkeys can be trained to develop social senses. |
| B．The monkeys may show their satisfaction with equal treatment. |
| C．They usually show their feelings openly as humans do. |
| D．Cooperation among the monkeys remains effective in the wild. |
Officials in the Midwestern U. S. town of Joplin, Missouri, say the death from Sundays’ big tornado reaches 116 and that search efforts continue for possible survivors trapped in rubble (碎石). Search and rescue teams are conducting their third sweep through the nearly 10 kilometer – long and one – kilometer wide area of destruction left by the tornado. They are working as quickly as possible while weather conditions remain relatively stable. More storms are forecast for the area.
Joplin Fire Chief Mitch Randles said there are areas with large piles of rubble that might hold survivors. “We are still finding individuals. We did rescue seven individuals from underneath rubble yesterday and, of course, we are also finding dead folks as well.” Said more folks and that is why we are doing these searches. We want to make every opportunity that we can to find everybody that is in the rubble and that has survived to this point.”
Randles said the current sweep involves a slower pace that previous searches and that he plans a fourth search, possibly on Wednesday, using specially trained dogs. “We are searching every structure that has been damaged or destroyed in a more in-depth manner, “he said.” I have dogs and dog handlers coming from all over the country do help us in that effort.”
Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr said the Red Cross and other volunteer organizations are helping people who were left homeless by the tornado and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is on hand to help. “Joplin is a great city. We have suffered a great loss, “said Rohr.” We will recover and we will recover strongly and we have a lot of help and a lot of volunteers to make that easier.”
The tornado that struck Joplin was classified by the Natioonal Weather Service as an F – 4, with winds of more than 300 kilometers per hour. It lasted only 20 minutes, but it killed more that 100 people, injured more than 400 others, and destroyed or heavily damaged some 2,000 homes, businesses, churches and a hospital. Authorities have registered more than 1,700 calls about missing people and they hope to resolvemost of those cases soon, as victims are identified and survivors come forth and reunite with loved ones.
This was the worst tornado to strike the United States in 60 years. It was the latest in a wave of violent storms that have swept Midwestern and southern states in recent weeks, leaving more than 300 people dead an causing more than $2 billion dollars in damage.What kind of disaster (灾害)of this article is talking about?
| A．tornado | B．earthquake | C．flood | D．drought |
The best headline for this newspaper article would be .
| A．Difficulties in the Rescue |
| B．The Great Loss Brought by the Tornado |
| C．Search for Survivors After the Disaster |
| D．Worst Tornado in the USA |
The word “resolve” in Para 5 probably means .
| A．cover | B．settle | C．overcome | D．challenge |
The number of death caused by the tornado that struck Joplin reached more than .
| A．100 | B．300 | C．400 | D．1,700 |
From the text, it can be inferred that .
| A．many victims might be under the ruins |
| B．it was impossible to find out survivors |
| C．the tornado lasted several weeks |
| D．the bad weather influenced the rescue greatly |
Tayka Hotel De Sal
Where: Tahua, Bolivia
How much: About $95 a night
Why it’s cool: You’ve stayed at hotels made of brick or wood, but salt? That’s something few can claim．Tayka Hotel de Sal is made totally of salt—including the beds (though you’ll sleep on regular mattresses (床垫) and blankets)．The hotel sits on the Salar de Uyuni, a prehistoric dried-up lake that’s the world’s biggest salt flat．Builders use the salt from the 4,633-square-mile flat to make the bricks, and glue them together with a paste of wet salt that hardens when it dries．When rain starts to dissolve the hotel, the owners just mix up more salt paste to strengthen the bricks.
Green Magic Nature Resort
Where: Vythiri, India
How much: About $240 a night
Why it’s cool: Ridding a pulley(滑轮)-operated lift 86 feet to your treetop room is just the start of your adventure．As you look out of your open window—there is no glass!—you watch monkeys and birds in the rain forest canopy．Later you might test your fear of heights by crossing the handmade rope bridge to the main part of the hotel, or just sit on your bamboo bed and read．You don’t even have to come down for breakfast—the hotel will send it up on the pulley-drawn “elevator”.
Dog Bark Park Inn B&B
Where: Cottonwood, Idaho
How much: $92 a night
Why it’s cool: This doghouse isn’t just for the family pet．Sweet Willyis a 30-foot-tall dog with guest rooms in his belly．Climb the wooden stairs beside his hind leg to enter the door in his side．You can relax in the main bedroom, go up a ffew steps of the loft(阁楼）in Willy’s head, or hang out inside his nose．Although you have a full private bathroom in your quarters, there is also a toilet in the 12-foot-tall fire hydrant (消防栓）outside.
Gamirasu Cave Hotel
Where: Ayvali, Turkey
How much: Between $130 and $475 a night.
Why it’s cool: This is caveman cool! Experience what it was like 5,000 years ago, when people lived in these mountain caves formed by volcanic ash．But your stay will be much more modern．Bathrooms and electricity provide what you expect from a modern hotel, and the white volcanic ash, called tufa, keeps the rooms cool, about 65℉in summer．(Don’t worry—there is heat in winter.)What do we know about Tayka Hotel de Sal?
| A．It is located on a prehistoric lake. |
| B．It should be protected against the rain. |
| C．Everything in the hotel is made of salt. |
| D．You have to cross a rope bridge to the hotel. |
What is the similarity of the four hotels?
| A．Being expensive. | B．Being comfortable. | C．Being natural. | D．Being unique. |
What does the underlined part “Sweet Willy” refer to?
A．The name of the hotel.
B．The name of the hotel owner.
C．The building of Dog Bark Park Inn B&B.
D．The name of a pet dog of the hotel owner.Which of the hotels makes you have a feeling of living in the far past?
| A．Tayka Hotel De Sal | B．Green Magic Nature Resort |
| C．Dog Bark Park Inn B&B | D．Gamirasu Cave Hotel |
What may be the purpose of the writer writing the passage?
| A．To show his wide knowledge. | B．To introduce some interesting hotels. |
| C．To develop business in tourism. | D．To attract attention from the readers. |
Talk about a real-life hero! Ten-year-old Larry Champagne from St. Louis, Missouri, hit the brake (刹车) on a runaway school bus. He saved himself and 20 other kids on board from disaster.
It all happened in one terrible accident. On the way to school, the bus driver, Ernestine Blackman, suddenly fell ill. Seeing the car was running away, the other kids started to scream, but Larry ran to the front and stopped the bus.
“At first I thought, ‘We’re going to die,’” says Larry, “but after I pressed the brake, I felt safe.”
Larry’s speedy reaction made news all over the country. He appeared on TV shows as a hero. The bus company gave Larry a big gift. His school hung a medal of honor around his neck.
“My grandmother always tells me to do what’s right,” says Larry. He thanked his brother, Jerrick, 9, who “helped me get the bus driver up” during the emergency. How did he know how to stop the bus? Larry is something of a mechanic（机械师）. He helps his grandfather work on his old truck. “He gets his hands dirty,” says his grandfather. One thing is for certain: Larry knows where to find the brakes. What did Larry do to save the runaway bus?
| A．He parked it for the sleeping bus driver. |
| B．He helped all the kids climb out through the windows. |
| C．He made a call to the police. |
| D．He pressed the brake. |
When did Larry finally feel safe?
| A．When the kids finally stopped screaming. |
| B．When the police officers arrived. |
| C．Once he pressed the brake, and the bus stopped. |
| D．When the bus driver started driving again. |
Larry got the following as praise for his hero action Except _______.
| A．appearing on TV shows | B．a scholarship from his school |
| C．a big gift from the bus company | D．a medal of honor |
Larry thanked his brother Jerrick for ________.
| A．helping him get the bus driver up |
| B．helping him work on his old truck |
| C．teaching him how to find the brake |
| D．teaching him how to stop the bus |
The underlined sentence “Larry is something of a mechanic” tells us that ____.
| A．Larry’s job is a mechanic |
| B．Larry knows something about machines |
| C．Larry is a robot |
| D．Larry knows nothing about machines |
Taking children to school on time doesn’t have to be a battle against the clock. Here are some rules for you to follow.
Lay out children’s clean clothes the night before. Who wants to be looking through unsorted clothes for three pairs of matching socks at 8:00am? Just have the clothes you know they will wear and the food they like ready and waiting. It makes life easier when you can’t spare the time in the morning.
Allow time for yourself. Whether it’s a hot shower, a cup of coffee or five minutes’ peace, leave yourself enough time. This doesn’t include “Just five more minutes” in bed, which will often turn into oversleeping followed by mayhem.
Stick to a routine. Make sure your children know what you expect from them every morning and stick to that routine, whether it’s that they should be fully dressed before breakfast or that they should brush their teeth straight afterwards. My personal top tip for the easiest way to a pain-free morning is no TV the night before.
Keep calm. If the bus is late or you have forgotten where you parked the car, or if you are late, don’t get angry and blame the children. Every one has such a bad morning. But if your children are often late for school, it’s up to you to start a more organized morning routine.The passage is mainly intended for __________.
| A．parents |
| B．teachers |
| C．students |
| D．early birds |
The underlined word “mayhem” is closest in meaning to __________
| A．the bad habit |
| B．the sleeping hour |
| C．some preparation |
| D．some trouble |
What’s the author’s first choice to have a pain-free morning?
| A．Have clothes ready in advance. |
| B．Allow enough time for peace. |
| C．Get dressed before breakfast. |
| D．Don’t watch TV the night before |
How many rules are mentioned for your reference in the passage?
| A．Five | B．Four |
| C．Three | D．Two |
A middle-aged couple from California got to the Pacific Ocean after a 4,900- mile-cross-country walk, becoming the first to backpack the American Discovery Trail by walking．
Marcia and Ken started the travel across 13 states, through 14 national parks and 16 national forests from Delaware and finally reached their destination a day nearly eight months later.
“We are sad that a great adventure is over. Now we just go home and do housework” said the couple, who went through cities, desert, mountains and farmland before reaching the Pacific alone.
They overcame deep snow in the East, a quicksand in Utah, close lightning strikes in the Mid- west and strong desert sandstorms in the West while averaging 22 miles a day and taking only four days off．But they enjoyed the French history of St.Louis and the beauty of the Colorado Rockies. They particularly remember kindness of strangers they met along the way.
“Americans are truly warm-hearted and wonderful. We got to meet people that we would never meet in our daily living at home. It' s an amazing country.” Marcia said．Which of the following is the most suitable title?
| A．The first couple to backpack the Pacific Ocean alone |
| B．The first couple to cover a 4,900 mile cross-country walk |
| C．A husband-and-wife team suffered a lot during an adventure |
| D．A husband-and-wife team got much help during an adventure |
Which of the statements is TRUE?
| A．The couple travelled across 16 states. |
| B．Their walk lasted nearly half a year. |
| C．They prefer housework to adventure |
| D．They took four days off during the travel |
We know that during the walk, the couple_________.
| A．were worried about their housework |
| B．once covered 22 miles within four days |
| C．were treated warm-heartedly by strangers |
| D．met strong desert sandstorms in the East |
Which place do you suppose can replace the underlined word “destination”?
| A．Delaware |
| B．Colorado Rockies |
| C．California |
| D．Pacific Ocean |
The Sauna World Championships (世界桑拿锦标赛) ended in tragedy at the weekend when one of the two finalists collapsed and died. Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy, a Russian amateur wrestler in his 60s, suffered severe burns in the bizarre(怪诞的) annual event in the southern Finnish town of Heinola. He was pronounced dead late on Saturday after he collapsed alongside reigning (卫冕) champion Timo Kaukonen of Finland roughly six minutes into the final round. The “sport” calls on participants to sit in a 230-degree (110 Celsius) room as water was tossed onto a searing stove, officials and witnesses said. Medical workers pulled both men out of the sauna in front of nearly 1,000 horrified spectators.
Both were shaking and bleeding from what appeared to be severe burns, said Hakon Eikesdal, a photographer with the Norwegian daily Dagbladet. Kaukonen, about 40, was in hospital in stable condition Sunday, contest spokesman Ossi Arvela said. The event, which had over 130 participants from 15 countries, had been held since 1999. It will never be held again, Arvela said. A pint of water is added to the stove every 30 seconds and the last person to remain at the sauna is the winner. There was no prize other than “some small things” Arvela said. He declined to provide details. Arvela said Kaukonen — the defending world champion — had refused to leave the sauna despite getting sick. Sauna bathing is a popular past-time in Finland, which has an estimated 1.6 million saunas for a population of 5 million.
Temperatures are normally kept around 158 to 176 degrees (70~80 degrees Celsius). “I know this is very hard to understand to people outside Finland who are not familiar with the sauna habit,” Arvela said. “It is not so unusual to have 110 degrees in a sauna. A lot of competitors before have sat in higher temperatures than that.” Arvela said all rules in Saturday’s competition were followed and the temperatures and times were similar to those in previous years.Which of the following is True of Paragraph 1?
| A．Only the Russian amateur wrestler suffered severe burns in the Sauna World Championships. |
| B．Timo Kaukonen won a world sauna championship though he was badly burned. |
| C．In the Sauna World Championships Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy was badly burned and then died. |
| D．Both of the finalists were pulled out of the sauna, then they were horrified to death. |
The underlined word “searing” means “__________”.
| A．burning | B．comfortable | C．warm | D．extinct |
What can we conclude from the situation after the tragedy?
| A．There was no prize other than “some small things”, which the world champion would refuse to accept. |
| B．Ossi Arvela suggested there were great risks in the sauna contest and it never be held in the future. |
| C．The contest would be continued in which the temperatures were kept around 158 to 176 degrees. |
| D．It was unusual to have 110 degrees in a sauna and it was hard to understand to some people outside. |
We can infer from the news that ___________.
| A．sauna is so popular that there are often competitions on weekdays in Finland. |
| B．the temperatures in usual saunas are too high for most people to stand in Finland. |
| C．the sauna contest is much too horrible even for the spectators in Finland. |
| D．there is a sauna for more than three people on average in Finland. |
The time of year a baby is born can shape what profession they will embark on (从事) in later life, a new study has suggested. Being born in a certain month appears to indicate the statistical likelihood of what job a person will end up with, the study by the Office for National Statistics found. Researchers have uncovered that the month in which babies are born could also affect everything from intelligence to length of life.
A child born December is more likely to become a dentist while someone whose birthday falls in January will tend to a debt collector, they found. A February birth appears to increase the chances of being an artist while March babies appear to go on to become pilots. Meanwhile, April and May are said to have a fairly even spread of professions, births in the summer months mean a much lower chance of becoming a high-earning football player, doctor or dentist.
The study was derived (推导出) by researchers who analyzed the birth months of people in 19 separate occupations using information from the last census, the Daily Mail reported. Although these trends may be difficult to explain, correlations (关联) between birth months and specific health problems have a scientific basis. Spring babies are at greater risks of illnesses including schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma and autism. They may also be less clever than classmates born in other parts of the year.What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．The year when a baby is born may not be associated with the job he or she will end up with. |
| B．Researchers have found the birth month could affect both intelligence and length of life. |
| C．The birth time can give signs of future development of what professions people will start. |
| D．The study indicates there are correlations between birth months and some terrible risks. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．A child born in December is more likely to become an artist while someone born in January will tend to be a dentist. |
| B．A February birth appears to have the possibilities of being an artist while March babies appear to become pilots. |
| C．Children born in April and May are said to have equally balanced chances in their future professions. |
| D．Births in the summer months mean they have few chances to earn a lot of money as a football player, doctor or dentist. |
What do the researchers also study besides the analyses of the trends between birth months and professions?
| A．Some serious diseases from births of many children. |
| B．A lot of mental illnesses caused by giving birth to children. |
| C．The secret of births and healthy problems. |
| D．The relationship between birth months and certain health problems. |
The black and white bird came ashore on a beach in the south of the North Island nearly 4,000 miles away from its usual habitat. The creature’s astonishing journey was witnessed by a woman walking her dog as the two-foot bird waddled out of the water in front of her. She said, “It was out of this world to see it. It was this glistening white thing standing up on the sand and I thought I was seeing things.” The tale of the lost penguin is similar to the 2006 children’s film Happy Feet, in which a young penguin finds himself far from home during a voyage of discovery.
Conservationists believe it has completed an incredible journey for such a young bird — it is estimated to be around 10 months old. The most likely explanation for its appearance in New Zealand is the hunt for food. Experts said it may also have rested on an ice floe (浮冰) during its travels and was carried north for a great distance before it made a swim for dry land. Colin Miskelly, a curator of New Zealand Museum, said, “They can spend months at a time in the ocean and come ashore only to moult (脱毛,换毛)or rest.” Mr. Miskelly said the brave bird would have to find its way back south soon if it was going to survive. He said, “It is probably hot and thirsty and has been eating wet sand.” “It doesn’t realize that the sand isn’t going to melt inside it because they typically eat snow — their only liquid.”
New Zealand residents have been warned to give the bird a wide berth — it can inflict (予以) painful bites if threatened.Which of the following is True of Paragraph 1?
| A．A young penguin found himself far from home during a voyage of moulting. |
| B．A creature’s astonishing journey was incredible in the north of the North Island. |
| C．A woman witnessed a 2 feet bird waddled in the children’s film while walking her dog. |
| D．A penguin came ashore on a beach thousands of miles away from its habitate. |
Conservationists tend to explain that____________.
| A．the young bird has completed a pleasant journey of 4,000 thousand miles |
| B．the young bird’s appearance in New Zealand is due to its hunt for food and delay of returning |
| C．the young bird comes ashore in New Zealand only to moult or rest during its voyage |
| D．the young bird is certain to be over 10 months old when it appears on a beach |
What do we know about the penguin according to Mr. Miskelly?
| A．The penguin could spend months at a time in the ocean and came ashore only to have young ones. |
| B．The young bird might have slept on an ice floe and could not swim for dry land. |
| C．The young penguin didn’t realize the sand wasn’t going to melt inside it like snow it eats. |
| D．The brave bird would have to find its way back north soon if it was going to survive. |
What does the underlined part mean in the last sentence?
| A．The residents should keep well away from it when they want to watch the young penguin. |
| B．Some people do not realize the danger of the young bird and they are expected to touch it. |
| C．New Zealand residents want to keep the young bird but it wants to leave the shore. |
| D．If the local people threatened the young bird, it would do harm to other birds nearby. . |
When we talk about stars ,especially women stars ,it seems that they are always young, pretty and own charming body shapes. But recently a Britain's Got Talent（英国达人）star Susan Boyle has changed our views absolutely.
Simon Cowell ,one of the judges of the talent show spoke of his shock over Ms Boyle's voice. "This lady camp up ,and I'm thinking, 'This will take five seconds and I can go to have a cup of tea'. That changed when she began to sing I Dreamed to Dream from Les Miserables. She knew we were going to have that reaction and just to see that look of satisfaction on her face through -it was one of my favorite moments," Cowell said.
The performance was posted on line and before long, the 47-year-old Scottish woman has been famous all over the world.
Speaking from her home in Scotland, Ms Boyle said that she hasn't thought of changing her appearance. She said that her friend helped her with make-up. "I mean, that's hardly a makeover," she added.Ms Boyle also spoke of the reason she first began to explore her vocal talents, "I was kind of slow at school, so getting like singing was a good way of hiding behind that and thus it built my confidence."Susan Boyle is _________
| A．a judge | B．a reporter | C．a beautiful | D．a Scottish woman |
Susan Boyle had a look of satisfaction on her face when she was singing because______.
| A．she was confident of her singing |
| B．she was satisfied with the judges |
| C．she was pretty and in good shape |
| D．she sang the song I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables |
According to the passage, which is NOT true?
| A．It was the vocal talents that built Susan's confidence |
| B．Susan Boyle was not good at her lesson when at school. |
| C．Susan Boyle became famous because of her appearance. |
| D．Simon Cowell didn't think Susan Boyle a good singer at the first sight. |
What can we learn from Susan Boyle's success
| A．It's never too old to learn. |
| B．It's easier to succeed at the age of 47. |
| C．If you have a dream, try to make it come true! |
| D．If you are not able to study well, to be a singer instead. |
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