高中英语新闻报道阅读阅读理解

New York, 10 November — 5:27 pm, yesterday. Biggest power failure in the city’s history.
* Thousands of people got stuck in lifts. Martin Saltzman spent three hours between the 21st and 22nd floors of the Empire State Building. “There were twelve of us. But no one panicked. We passed the time telling stories and playing word games. One man wanted to smoke but we didn’t let him. Firemen finally got us out.”
* “It was the best night we’ve ever had,” said Angela Carraro, who runs an Italian restaurant on 42nd Street. “We had lots of candles on the tables and the waiters were carrying candles on their trays. The place was full — and all night, in fact, for after we had closed, we let the people stay on and spend the night here.”
* The zoos had their problems like everyone else. Keepers worked through the night. They used blankets to keep flying squirrels and small monkeys warm. While zoos had problem keeping warm, supermarkets had problems keeping cool. “All of our ice cream and frozen foods melted,” said the manager of a store in downtown Manhattan. “They were worth $ 50,000.”
* The big electric clock in the lobby(大厅) of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in downtown Manhattan started ticking again at 5:25 this morning. It was almost on time.
Throughout the period of darkness, Martin Saltzman and the eleven others were _________.

A．nervous

B．excited

C．calm

D．frightened

In what way was the night of November 9 the best night for Angela Carraro?

A．She had a taste of adventure.

B．Burning candles brightened the place.

C．Business was better than usual.

D．Many people stayed the night in her restaurant.

How long did the power failure last?

A．Nearly 12 hours.	B．More than 12 hours.
C．Nearly 24 hours.	D．More than 24 hours.

The deadliest Ebola(埃博拉病毒) outbreak in recorded history is happening right now. The outbreak is unprecedented(空前的) both in the number of people who have gotten sick and in the geographic scope. And so far it’s been a long battle that doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
Ebola is both rare and very deadly. Since the first outbreak in 1976, Ebola viruses have infected thousands of people and killed roughly killed 60 percent of them. Symptoms can come on quickly and kill fast.
The current outbreak started in Guinea sometime in late 2013 or early 2014. It has since spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia, including some capital cities. And one infected patient traveled on a plane to Nigeria, where he spread the disease to several others and then died. Cases have also popped up in various other countries throughout the world, including in Dallas and New York City in the United States.
The Ebola virus has now hit many countries, including Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and the United States. The virus, which starts off with flu-like symptoms and sometimes ends with bleeding, has infected about 6,500 people and killed more than 3,000 since this winter, according to the World Health Organization on September 30, 2014.
There are some social and political factors contributing to the current disaster. Because this is the first major Ebola outbreak in West Africa, many of the region’s health workers didn’t have experience or training in how to protect themselves or care for patients with this disease.
Journalist David Quammen put it well in a recent New York Times article, “Ebola is more dangerous to humans than perhaps any known virus on Earth, except rabies(狂犬病) and HIV. And it does its damage much faster than either.”
Hopefully, researchers are working to find drugs, including a recent $50 million push at the National Institutes of Health. And scientists are working on vaccines(疫苗), including looking into ones that might be able to help wild chimpanzees, which are also susceptible to the disease. The first human Ebola vaccine trial is scheduled to start in the spring of 2015.
According to the passage, which of the following about Ebola is true?

A．The Ebola outbreak now is the biggest one in history.

B．Ebola breaks out quickly but it is under control now.

C．Ebola is deadly and common so it kills a lot of people.

D．Ebola killed about 60 thousand people quickly in 1976.

The Ebola virus was brought to Nigeria by         .

A．a flying bird	B．an infected passenger
C．hot African weather	D．a health organization

The symptoms of Ebola at the beginning are more like those of         .

A．flu	B．rabies
C．HIV/AIDS	D．internal bleeding

The last paragraph mainly tells us that         .

A．it will be a huge waste when researchers spend lots of money finding a cure

B．the vaccines can be effective to wild chimpanzees but not to the humans

C．there will be an optimistic future in which we can defeat the disease

D．we can use the vaccine to cure the patients completely in 2015’s spring

What is the best title of the passage?

A．Ebola ---- The African Local Disaster

B．Ebola ---- The Newly-Found Disease

C．Ebola ---- A More Effective Vaccine

D．Ebola ---- The Deadly Virus Outbreak

A 8.2-magnitude（震级）earthquake struck off the coast of northern Chile late on Tuesday, cutting power and leading to small landslides and a tsunami (海啸). Four men and one woman died —two who suffered heart attacks and three who were crushed（压死). About 300 prisoners escaped from the northern port city of Iquique in the immediate aftershock (余震).
The quake struck at about 8:46 p.m. local time, some 60 miles northwest of Iquique. It had a depth of 12.5 miles. Chile’s National Emergency Office asked coastal residents to leave for safe places. “The fact is, we will know the extent of the damage as time goes by and when we inspect the areas in the light of day,” Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet said early on Wednesday. “The country has faced these first emergency hours very well.”
Residents in the port city of Antofagasta walked calmly through the streets to higher ground as traffic became heavy in some places. “Many people are fearful after experiencing the powerful earthquake in 2010, so they immediately rushed to higher ground when they heard the tsunami warning,” said a government official.”There have been lots of aftershocks and communications have been cut off in many of the affected areas. So people are waiting in the dark hills, not knowing what is to come, and hoping they will be able to return to their homes safely.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center sent our several tsunami warnings, but called off all of them by early Wednesday.
Tsunami waves of more than six feet caused by the earthquake washed ashore on the coast of Pisagua. Iquique, with a population of more than 200,000, saw seven-foot waves.
The earthquake resulted in _____.

A．300 prisoners being trapped

B．five people being crushed

C．many cars being damaged

D．some other natural disasters happening

How did the whole country respond to the earthquake when it happened?

A．They were so fearful that they were in a panic.

B．They went into the streets immediately.

C．They acted very calmly.

D．They drove to higher ground after hearing the warning.

What difficulty did people in the hills face?

A．The weather was terrible.

B．The communications were cut off.

C．They got lost in the hills.

D．Their houses were destroyed.

Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the passage?

A．The government had estimated（估计）the damage of the earthquake by early Wednesday.

B．The tsunami waves in Pisagua were more than six feet high.

C．Several tsunami warnings had been called off by early Wednesday.

D．The earthquake happened in the evening and it had a depth of 12.5 miles.

What is the best title for the passage?

A．Chile Deals with Emergency Well.

B．Tsunamis Caused by Aftershocks in Chile.

C．A Powerful Earthquake Strikes off the Coast of Chile.

D．Tsunami Warnings Work Well in Chile..

Celebrity TV presenter Ju Ping has been a host on China Central Television for 30 years, but her recent experience hosting a charity event was one of the most special moments in her career.
On April 2, World Autism (自闭症) Day, Ju partnered with Xia Junqi, a 17-year-old autistic teenager, to host a charity gala at the Beijing National Aquatics Center, otherwise known as the Water Cube.
The event was organized by One Foundation, which aims to increase public awareness of autistic people and their needs.
Autism is a neural disorder that can impair sufferers’ communication skills and social interactions. Sufferers have restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. It affects about 1.6 million people in China, with medical studies suggesting autism may affect one in every 166 children.
Autism has no cure. For many years it went largely undiagnosed in China but early intervention (干预，治疗) and continuous education may help to teach the autistic self-help skills and lessen their problematic behavior.
The gala(晚会) featured autistic children singing, dancing and performing, and was greeted with enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Cai Chunzhu, a celebrity playwright, recalled feeling heartbroken when his son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2. He says his family struggled to accept the reality but finally made peace with the diagnoses in the past four years. He says the boy lives in his own world and is trained in an intervention facility. Sun Zhongkai, executive director of the Beijing Stars and Rain Institute for Autism, one of the earliest intervention facilities for autistic children in China, shared with audience his deep sorrow for parents who often broke down with desperation when he told them there was no cure for their autistic children.
Over the years, Chinese society has become more supportive of autistic people and their families, but there are still challenges in terms of getting autistic people employed and looking after them when their parents pass away.
Actor Zhou Xun also called on society to show greater understanding and support toward autistic children and their families.
The underlined word “impair” in Paragraph 4 most probably mean?

A．cause

B．improve

C．increase

D．damage

Which of the following statements about Autism is FALSE?

A．It is a kind of illness that cannot be cured.

B．Nothing can be done about it.

C．People in China were not well aware of it in the past.

D．A lot of children suffer from it in China.

What can we know from Paragraph 7?

A．It is quite difficult for parents to accept that their children have autism.

B．Training in an intervention facility can stop children with autism living in their own world.

C．There is only one intervention facility for autistic children in China.

D．Doctors often break down when they tell parents their children have autism.

Where does this text probably come from?

A．A TV interview.	B．A medicine magazine.
C．A newspaper.	D．A book review.

We always read reports about costs of oil going up and we will think this is our most valuable material. However, water is the most valuable resource(资源). People in the Middle East are more worried about this than oil. Maybe the next war will be about water.
In the future, to control the quality and quantity(数量), you will use different water for different usages. The water used to wash your car, water your flowers or wash your clothes doesn’t need to be as clean as the water you drink.
One in five people live in countries without enough fresh water and in 25 years, the number is believed to be one in every three people. Our world population is increasing. What do you suppose this will suggest for us in the future? Population control?
Traditional management of the water industry has been out of date since the 1990s. When technologies develop so rapidly in the world, we have loads of information for technologies in the business world, but in the water industry we don’t have any.
Britain and France have already taken measures to successfully improve their water industries. All the water services in Britain have been provided by private(私有的) companies since 1991. Since then, improvement has been made in the rules for their water quality and pricing.
What can you do now for the future? Using water more efficiently(有效地) in your house can make a great difference not only to the world but to your money. Even if you don’t have to pay much now, you will when you start to pay big prices for different water usages.
Water shortage is getting more serious because ______________.

A．the world population is growing up.

B．there will be more wars about water.

C．people don’t have efficient management of the water industry.

D．water services will be provided only by private companies.

Britain has improved their water quality by ___________.

A．raising the price of water.

B．reducing water pollution.

C．changing the management of the water industry.

D．opening more private companies for water services.

Which is the author’s suggestion for us?

A．Paying less money for water

B．Buying more water for future use.

C．Using different water for different usages.

D．Using as little water as possible in cooking.

Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Save water and save money

B．Easy ways to cut down on your water usage

C．Why you should teach your children to save water

D．Water is our precious resource—start to save it now

E
A German study suggests that people who were too optimistic about their future actually faced greater risk of disability or death within 10 years than those pessimists( 悲观者)who expected their future to be worse.
The paper, published this March in Psychology and Aging, examined health and welfare surveys from roughly 40,000 Germans between ages 18 and 96. The surveys were conducted every year from 1993 to 2003.
Survey respondents (受访者) were asked to estimate their present and future life satisfaction on a scale of 0 to 10, among other questions.
The researchers found that young adults (age 18 to 39) routinely overestimated their future life satisfaction, while middle-aged adults (age 40 to 64) more accurately predicted how they would feel in the future. Adults of 65 and older, however, were far more likely to underestimate their future life satisfaction. Not only did they feel more satisfied than they thought they would, the older pessimists seemed to suffer a lower ratio (比率) of disability and death for the study period.
“We observed that being too optimistic in predicting a better future than actually observed was associated with a greater risk of disability and a greater risk of death within the following decade,” wrote Frieder R. Lang, a professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Lang and his colleagues believed that people who were pessimistic about their future may be more careful about their actions than people who expected a rosy future.
“Seeing a dark future may encourage positive evaluations of the actual self and may contribute to taking improved precautions (预防措施),” the authors wrote.
Surprisingly, compared with those in poor health or who had low incomes, respondents who enjoyed good health or income were associated with expecting a greater decline. Also, the researchers said that higher income was related to a greater risk of disability.
The authors of the study noted that there were limitations to their conclusions. Illness, medical treatment and personal loss could also have driven health outcomes. However, the researchers said a pattern was clear. “We found that from early to late adulthood, individuals adapt their expectations of future life satisfaction from optimistic, to accurate, to pessimistic,” the authors concluded.
According to the study, who made the most accurate prediction of their future life satisfaction?

A．Optimistic adults.

B．Middle-aged adults.

C．Adults in poor health.

D．Adults of lower income.

Pessimism may be positive in some way because it causes people ______.

A．to fully enjoy their present life

B．to estimate their contribution accurately

C．to take measures against potential risks

D．to value health more highly than wealth

How do people of higher income see their future?

A．They will earn less money.

B．They will become pessimistic.

C．They will suffer mental illness.

D．They will have less time to enjoy life.

What is the clear conclusion of the study?

A．Pessimism guarantees chances of survival.

B．Good financial condition leads to good health.

C．Medical treatment determines health outcomes.

D．Expectations of future life satisfaction decline with age.

Until last spring, Nia Parker and the other kids in her neighborhood went to school on Bus 59.But as fuel prices rose, the school district needed to find a way to cut its transportation costs.So the school’s busing company redrew its route map, canceling Nia’s bus.Now Nia and her neighbors travel the half mile to school via a “walking school bus”—a group of kids, supervised (监护) by an adult or two, who make the walk together.
Many parents are delighted to see their kids walking to school, partly because many did so themselves.According to a 1979 survey, nearly half of school kids walked or biked to school, compared with only 16 percent in 2011.Modern parents have been unwilling to let kids walk to school for fear of traffic, crime or simple bullying, but with organized adult supervision, those concerns have reduced.
Schools and busing companies are finding other ways to save.In rural areas where busing is a must, some schools have even chosen four-day school weeks.Busing companies instruct drivers to cancel extra stops from routes and to turn off the engine while idling(挂空挡).They are also using computer software to determine the most fuel-efficient routes, which aren’t always the shortest ones.
There could be disadvantages, however, to the busing cutbacks（削减）.If every formerly bused student begins walking to school, it’s an environmental win—but if too many of their parents decide to drive them instead, the carbon footprint can grow.Replacing buses with many more parent-driven cars can also increase safety risks.A 2011 report concluded students are 13 times safer on a school bus than in a passenger car, since buses have fewer accidents and with stand them better due to their size.And some students complain about the long morning hikes, particularly when the route contains a really big hill.
In regards to walking to school, modern parents seem much concerned with the _____.

A．safety of their kids

B．kids’ physical strength

C．time spent on the way

D．changes in the route

To save money, some schools choose to _____.

A．shorten the school week

B．take the shortest routes

C．stop using school buses

D．use fuel-efficient buses

Busing cutbacks may lead to _____.

A．fewer complaints about long morning hikes

B．more students taking public transportation

C．an increase in carbon dioxide emissions

D．a decrease in the safety of school buses

(RAMALLAH, West Bank) — Israel（以色列） freed 26 Palestinian（巴勒斯坦） prisoners early Wednesday, the second of four groups to be released as part of an agreement that started the current Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which had broken down since 2008. In all, 104 prisoners are to be released in four rounds over the coming months.
In the West Bank and Gaza（加沙）, the mood was overexcited as hundreds of Palestinians welcomed the prisoners back home, after many had spent more than 20 years behind bars.
Crowds of people rushed toward the 5 prisoners released to Gaza, raising them on their shoulders, waving Palestinian flags and dancing to music. Relatives held signs that read “we will never forget our heroes.” More than 2,000 people welcomed the 21 prisoners released to the West Bank, who were greeted at a ceremony by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
Hazem Shubair, thrown into prison in 1994 for the death of an Israeli according to the Israeli Prison Service, was over delighted upon his return to Gaza. “I am speechless,” he said. “Thanks to God. God is greater than the aggressors (meaning Israel)”.
Abbas said a final peace agreement with Israel was possible on the release of the prisoners. “There will be no final agreement without the release of all the prisoners,” he told the violent crowd.
Israel’s Supreme Court (最高法院) earlier refused an appeal that intended to cancel the prisoner release. An organization of bereaved (失去亲人的) families behind the appeal has said it fears the prisoners, all in connection to the deaths of Israelis, will return to violence once freed.
Why did Israel free 26 Palestinian prisoners early Wednesday?

A．Because they would take part in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

B．Because that was part of an agreement between Israel and Palestinians.

C．Because the current Israeli-Palestinian peace talks failed.

D．Because the peace talks had broken down since 2008.

How many Palestinian prisoners had been released by Wednesday?

A．21

B．26.

C．Over 26.

D．104.

Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Wednesday’s release was the whole part of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

B．The other 104 Palestinian prisoners will be freed in the coming months.

C．All the Palestinian prisoners were greeted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

D．All the Palestinian prisoners were welcomed warmly.

There will be no final peace agreement between Israel and Palestinians until______.

A．all the Palestinian prisoners kept in Israeli prisons are set free

B．all the prisoners return to violence once again

C．God is greater than the aggressors

D．Palestinians welcome some prisoners back home

From the last paragraph we know _______.

A．Israel stopped to release the rest of the Palestinian prisoners

B．some Israelis didn’t agree to release the Palestinian prisoners

C．all the Israelis are in favor of setting the Palestinian prisoners free

D．the Palestinian prisoners will return to violence once freed

More than 27,000 people from around the UK set off at dawn from London to begin the cycle route through Surrey to the Sussex coast.
The annual 54-mile ride raises money for the British Heart Foundation（BHF）  and is Europe’s largest charity cycling event. Cyclists began the exhausting journey at Clapham Common at 6 a. m. , hoping to reach Brighton seafront within an average of six hours.
Money from today's event will help the charity to continue its vital work through heart research and the development of its care and support services. Among those taking part was BBC Breakfast's resident（居民）Dr Rosemary Leonard and several colleagues.
BHF spokeswoman Gemma Cloke said, “It was quite cold this morning, but everyone set off without any problems.” Those taking part range in age from 14 to those in their 70s. Last year cyclists raised￡4. 1 million for the charity, and have raised more than￡50 million since the BHF became involved in the event in 1980. The first ride was held in 1976. It is hoped this year's fund raising total could reach￡4. 5 million. She added : “We have a lot of people taking part, from the more experienced cyclists to those cycling with friends and family in memory of someone and to raise money through sponsorship.”
“People are always pleased knowing the money is going to a good cause. There is so much support along the route, with local residents watching the ride. ”
“One of the highlights for participants（参加者）is coming along the seafront while people are clapping, which can really help when they've been in the saddle (自行车车座) for a long time. ”
What can we know about the cycling event from the text?

A．It is the world’s largest charity cycling event.

B．Cyclists may raise more money than last year.

C．The first event was held by the BHF in 1980.

D．The route of the event is 54 kilometers long.

What can we learn from what Gemma Cloke said?

A．Cyclists will receive encouragement from local people.

B．Some people doubt whether the money is properly used.

C．Most of the cyclists are professional.

D．Local people have little interest in cycling events.

The local residents’ attitude towards the ride is         .

A．doubtful	B．unconcerned
C．supportive	D．indifferent

What is the text mainly about?

A．Cyclists have raised over￡50 million for the BHF.

B．More than 27,000 people like travelling by bike in the UK.

C．Charity cycling event wins support from local people.

D．More than 27,000 people in the UK join in the charity bike ride.

They’re WILD animals
By Ernst-Ulrich Franzen
March 11, 2010(3) Comments
The story about the woman who lost some fingers while feeding a bear at a zoo in Manitowoc, after she ignored warnings and barriers(栅栏), reminded me of the story I heard about a couple who put their baby on the back of a wild horse in South Dakota to get a really cute picture. We all do silly things at times — no one is immune — but treating wild animals as lovely pets has to fall into a special category. Teddy bears and Disney movies aren’t actually representative of real bears.
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1. TosaLeft - Mar 11, 2010 10:46AM
Don’t you think that maybe, just maybe some alcohol was involved?
2. tk421 - Mar 11, 2010 11:09 AM
It was already approved that alcohol was involved. Stories that begin with a drunk person saying “Hey, I got an idea, watch this!” rarely end well.
3. Tristan Kloss - Mar 11, 2010 11:41 AM
Alcohol certainly isn’t involved when people decide to keep “pets” like chimpanzees, baby tigers, etc. Stupidity, definitely. Dogs are pets because of thousands of years of domestication. Even farm animals, which have been kept by humans for thousands of years as well, aren’t let in the house. So why keep animals that treat human contact with, at best, indifference(冷淡、不在乎) and, at worst, violence?
In Ernst-Ulrich Franzen’s opinion, the woman lost her fingers because ________.

A．the zoo keepers didn’t warn her of the danger

B．she didn’t know the bear was a wild animal

C．she was somehow influenced by cartoon characters

D．she climbed over the barriers and angered the bear

TosaLeft thinks the wounded woman ________.

A．may have been drunk

B．may be a little stupid

C．was addicted to wine

D．fed wine to the bear

tk421 means a drunk person ________.

A．should be forbidden to enter the zoo

B．usually gets himself into trouble

C．is often fond of making up stories

D．usually likes to show himself off

What does Tristan Kloss think of people treating wild animals as pets?

A．Kind.	B．Illegal.
C．Loving.	D．Stupid.

Discover Artistic Talents across the Country
Redtory, Guangzhou
Redtory, established in 2009, is a spacious art district often referred to as Guangzhou’s 798. Made up of more than 30 old halls, mostly buildings of red brick, the place was originally built in 1956 as Chinese largest can factory. Some of the rusty machines from the old factory have been kept as art equipment, giving the zone an old charm.
Where: No. 128 Yuancun Siheng Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:30 am-9 pm
Tank Loft, Chongqing
This 12,000-square-meter art center was established on the site of a used military tank warehouse(仓库). It is the largest contemporary art base in western China, featuring modern exhibition, galleries, design studios and art bookstores. The art zone is located on the campus of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and was created by the school in the early 2000s.
Where: No. 108 Huangjueping Center Street, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing
Opening hours: 9 am-5 pm(closed Mondays)
M50, Shanghai
M50, also known as 50 Moganshan Road, is the center of Shanghai’s contemporary art scene, with more than 100 artists whose studios are open to the public. This district, on the bank of Suzhou Creek, was previously a textile factory until it seized production in 1999. Xue Song, a Shanghai artist, was the first to establish a studio there in 2002.
Where: No. 50 Moganshan Road, Pudong District, Shanghai
Opening hours: 10 am-5 pm(closed Mondays)
798 Art Zone, Beijing
Attracted by ordered designing, convenient traffic and unique style of Bauhaus architecture, art organizations and artists have crowded in the vacant plants and transformed them since 2001, gradually forming a district gathered galleries, art studios, cultural companies, fashion shops etc. As the earliest area where the organizations and artists moved in located in the original area of 798 factory, this place was named as Beijing 798 Art Zone.
Where: No. 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Opening hours: 10 am-6 pm
If you are going to visit an art zone at 7pm, which one can you go to?

A．Redtory, Guangzhou.	B．Tank Loft, Chongqing.
C．M50, Shanghai.	D．798 Art Zone, Beijing.

Tank Loft, Chongqing is quite different from the others in       .

A．size

B．site

C．feature

D．weather

Which of the following was built first?

A．Redtory, Guangzhou.	B．Tank Loft, Chongqing.
C．M50, Shanghai.	D．798 Art Zone, Beijing.

D
Traditionally regarded as one of the safest planes in the skies, the Boeing 777’s reputation will have been damaged by the second fatal crash in less than a year. There are around 1,000 Boeing 777s in service, and the plane is a long haul workhorse（长途运输的主力）, shouldering some of the longest routes. It entered service in 1995 and the National Transportation Safety Board, which is responsible for monitoring US-made aircraft, has recorded fewer than 60 incidents. But the recent record has been more patchy(不协调) with two major incidents---a crash at San Francisco airport last July, which claimed three lives, and the crash-landing of a British Airways 777 at Heathrow in January 2008.
However, the Malaysian disaster is very different from both the BA incident and the crash involving a Asiana Airlines flight at San Francisco InternationalAirport in July. Both the BA and Asiana accidents occurred shortly before landing, while the Malaysia airlines plane disappeared off the radar during the early stages of the trip.
The accident at San Francisco in July was attributed to pilot error which led to the engines being set to idle because he believed the computer would maintain sufficient speed to keep the plane up in the air. But initial reports suggest that Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the 53-year-old Malaysian airlines pilot, was hugely experienced - having joined thecarrierin 1981 and with 18,365 hours in the cockpit under his belt. The BA crash landing, which did not result in any fatalities, was finally found to have been caused by a blockage in the fuel line feeding theengine. Simply put the aircraft had the aviation equivalent of a cardiac arrest because some of the fuel failed to melt and blocked the supplylineat the end of a long flight from Beijing to London, during which the plane travelled through unusually cold airspace over Siberia.
This crash makes people think of the disaster in which 288 people on board an Air France Airbus 330. That plane, another long-haul workhorse, crashed into the Atlantic en-route from Rio de Janeiro in June 2009 killing 228 people. A variety of explanations have been given for the Air France crash, with investigators finding that the plane’s speed sensors were giving an incorrect reading. But with this crash involving a different aircraft, it will take several months before investigators can find out the cause.
What’s the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A．To arouse our attention of some famous crashes of plane.

B．To find out the causes of plane crash.

C．To inform us of the Malaysian disaster.

D．To warn us not to travel by plane any more.

The Malaysian disaster is quite different mainly because_____.

A．The plane disappeared off the radar during the early stages of the trip.

B．The accident occurred shortly before landing.

C．The pilot believed the computer would maintain sufficient speed.

D．The pilot was less experienced.

What methods are used to describe the whole passage?
①Giving examples
②Making comparisons
③Reasoning matters
④Offering figures

A．①②③

B．②③④

C．①②④

D．①③④

What does “this crash” refer to in the last paragraph?

A．the crash of Air France

B．the crash of the Malaysia airlines plane

C．the crash-landing of a British Airways 777

D．the crash at San Francisco airport

A Chinese couple tried to name their baby “@”, saying the character best represents their love for the child, according to an official trying to standardize the national language. The unusual name stands out especially in Mandarin, which has no alphabet (字母表) and instead uses tens of thousands of multi­stroke (多笔画的) characters to represent words. “The whole world uses it to write emails, and translated into Chinese it means ‘love him’,” the father explained, according to the deputy chief of the State Language Commission Li Yuming.
While the @ symbol is familiar to Chinese email users, they often use the English word “at” to sound it out. With a drawn­out “t”, this sounds something like “ai ta”, or “love him”, to Mandarin speakers. Li says the name is an extreme example of people’s increasingly adventurous approach to Mandarin, as commercialization and the Internet break down conventions (习俗).
Another couple tried to give their child a name that in English sounds like “King Osrina”.
Li did not say if officials accepted the “@” name. But earlier this year the government announced a ban on names using Arabic numerals (阿拉伯数字) and foreign languages. Sixty million Chinese face the problem that their names use ancient characters so uncommon that computers cannot recognize them and even fluent speakers are left scratching their heads, said Li, according to a report on the government website. One of them is the former Premier Zhu Rongji, whose name has a rare “rong” character that gives newspaper editors headaches.
Why did the Chinese couple try to name their baby “@”？

A．Because they wanted their baby to have a special name.

B．Because they wanted their baby to have an international name.

C．Because the @ symbol is familiar to email users all over the world.

D．Because the @ symbol sounds something like “ai ta”, which means “love him” in Chinese.

It can be inferred that ___________.

A．Li Yuming is in favor of the baby’s name

B．many Chinese people use Arabic numerals in their names

C．a majority of the Chinese people are having longer names

D．there is little possibility for the “@” name to be officially accepted

The underlined part in the passage probably means___________.

A．even native speakers find it hard to accept these strange names

B．even native speakers can’t find these characters in their computers

C．even those who are expert at Chinese can’t recognize these characters

D．even those who are expert at Chinese find it hard to accept these names

The former Premier Zhu Rongji is mentioned in the passage because ________.

A．people often mispronounce his name

B．there is an uncommon character in his name

C．he often made newspaper editors annoyed during his term in office

D．he once stressed the importance of standardizing Chinese characters

The passage is mainly about ___________.

A．how Chinese parents name their babies

B．the importance of standardizing Chinese characters

C．a ban on names using Arabic numerals and foreign languages

D．the problems caused by uncommon characters used in Chinese names

A popular CCTV host’s “improper remarks” that were caught on video at a dinner party have led to an investigation into the incident and a suspension of his programs.
The video, released online on Monday, showed host Bi Fujian using vulgar words about Chairman Mao Zedong while singing in the style of Peking Opera, enraging（激怒） some netizens and causing a stir on the Internet.
CCTV said on its micro blog on Wednesday that it will investigate the incident, which it said many have found disturbing.
Bi’s programs will stop being broadcast until at least Sunday, as his comments in the video have seriously damaged the broadcaster’s image, Huaxi Metropolis Daily quoted a CCTV staff member as saying.
The CCTV employee said it is uncertain whether the programs can be broadcast again after Sunday, the report added.
Bi, 56, is popular for a hosting style that engages the audience. He has hosted the CCTV Spring Festival Gala since 2012, as well as a popular talent show involving Westerners speaking Chinese. The cancellation was the first decision after Nie Chenxi was named CCTV president on Tuesday, the report said, adding that Nie had ordered all staff members to strictly correct work styles.
A micro-blogger named Zhou Junchi said that free speech doesn’t mean it is OK to defame others, adding that Bi’s comments were not proper for a popular host. Cheng Manli, a professor specializing in communication at Peking University, echoed Zhou, saying Bi should pay more attention to his behavior and speech as a public figure.
“It does not mean we cannot share our opinions, but using ugly words and sarcasm to comment on Chinese leaders who have passed away is improper,” Cheng said.
“The actions and words of celebrities are easily broadened in today’s Internet era, which is open and can have a huge influence, so it is a must for the public figures to boost the quality of their speech and behavior. Otherwise, their images will be affected, such as the stars who were recently punished for drug use,” she said.
“Everyone should take responsibility for what he or she says in public and online. It’s better, I think, to share different ideas in a normal way,” she suggested. But she added that the party in the video seemed private, “so its release is also improper to some extent.”
The video was recorded by someone sitting on Bi’s right, but who it is and why the video was put online is unknown.
According to the passage, CCTV’s  response when the incident happened was ______.

A．to change his job

B．to have Bi Fujian fired

C．to look into the matter

D．to make him apologize

We can learn from the passage that _______.

A．Bi Fujian’s program will be stopped forever

B．the incident happened before the new CCTV president’s arrival

C．the video was recorded when Bi Fujian was working in a program

D．Huaxi Metropolis Daily thinks the incident damages CCTV’s image

As is mentioned in the passage, Chen Manli holds the view that________.

A．Bi Fujian should be severely punished

B．a celebrity’s influence can be enlarged through the Internet

C．public figures should not share their opinions

D．it is all right to release private video of a celebrity

The underlined word “boost” probably means “_________”.

A．cover	B．improve
C．influence	D．Solve

News that Microsoft made a $44.6 billion bid to buy Yahoo resulted in heated discussions made by many Internet users. Here are some responses:
Diane Burke of Weeks bury, Kentucky
I think it would definitely be an interesting combination. Everyone recognizes the names Yahoo and Microsoft, but everyone also says, “Did you Google it?” Such a catchphrase (时髦话) is going to be hard to beat.
Shaun Carney of Laurelville, Ohio
I think the merger (合并) will provide more competitions for Google. I don’t think the merger will allow Microsoft to develop faster than Google, though. I believe the increased competition this merger brings will force Google to stay on top of its game by offering more fresh and original Internet tools and expanding on the tools it already offers.
Toni Suarez of Hacienda Heights, California
I view the merger as a necessary element in preventing a monopolization (垄断). Perhaps it would bring better high technology innovations to e-mail and help in researching and developing a better Internet!
Rick R. of Edgewater, Florida
It sounds like a disaster to me. If this were to happen, I would stop using my Yahoo e-mail account because I don’t like the feeling of Microsoft spying upon my business. I will sign up for Google.
Antonio Glosser of Kansas City, Missouri
Right now, Yahoo offers a lot of features and tools at no cost for all different levels of Internet users. Microsoft seeks nothing but profit. Undoubtedly, they’ll do nothing other than find ways to start removing Yahoo’s formerly non-priced features. Microsoft’s greed will ruin the great thing that Yahoo currently is.
How many companies are mentioned in the passage?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Shaun’s attitude towards Google is passive.

B．Toni believes the Internet will have a promising future.

C．Rick will support Google after the merger.

D．Antonio is afraid that the merger will cost Yahoo’s free features.

The passage is mainly about ______.

A．the future of Yahoo and Microsoft

B．the strengths of Yahoo and Microsoft

C．the strengths and weaknesses of large companies

D．opinions on the merger of Yahoo and Microsoft.