SYDNEY （AFP） Nick Bryant reports:
“It gives me great pleasure to introduce the new caretaker of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, from the United Kingdom, Ben Southall.”
A global recruitment（招聘） drive with the trappings of a TV reality show made it truly a tourism marketing campaign．
The best job in the world’s competition finally has a winner, Ben Southall, a 34-year-old charity worker from Britain．He beat 34,000 candidates from 200 countries in an online competition that became something of an Internet phenomenon．
“To go away now as the island caretaker for Tourism Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef is an extreme honour．I hope I can fill the boots as much as everybody is expecting, my swimming hopefully is up to standard and I look forward to all of the new roles and responsibilities that the task involves.” [Ben Southall]
For a disappointing Australian tourism industry currently in the doldrums, this has been an unexpected encouragement．Tourism Queensland deliberately chose the middle of winter of the northern Hemisphere to launch the campaign back in January, but didn’t expect anywhere near the global response．They think the only countries where people didn’t visit their website were North Korea and a few African nations．
What’s said to be the best job in the world comes with a $110,000 （about 750,000 yuan） contract for six months’ work, a luxury beachside home and a plunge pool．
In return, the island caretaker will be expected to stroll the white sands, enjoy the sun, diving and taking care of the reef, “maybe clean the pool”-- and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.
For the losers meanwhile, there’s the worst of long journeys home.
55．Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．The global recruitment mostly took place online．
B．Ben Southall got the job in January.
C．The recruitment started in winter in Australia．
D．The organizers knew the activity would attract attention from all over the world.
56．The caretaker of the islands is expected to be good at all the following EXCEPT ______.
A．swimming B．writing C．photographing D．acting
57．It can be inferred from the report that ______.
A．it’s the easiest job in the world
B．you need to surf the Internet regularly to know what Ben Southall is doing there
C．the organizers of the activity knew North Koreans would never be interested in the job
D．The journey home of the losers of the competition will be dangerous
58．The underlined word “doldrums” probably means ______ .
A．depression B．development C．recovery D．promotion
| We were disappointed to learn about Chrysler Dodge’s new car, the Viper. It must be the most ungreen car of recent years. It can carry only two people but it is extremely powerful, with a top speed of 165 mph. It will go from 0-60 mph in just four seconds. From our point of view, the worst feature is the petrol consumption: just 15miles per gallon. This is a car from the past, a gas-guzzler for people who want to show off and who don’t care about polluting the air. |
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| ASTON MARTIN DB2/4(1975) This car is a fine example of the power and elegance of the Aston Martin sports cars of the 1950s. It was developed from the earlier DB2, but this model was intended to give more room: if you look in the back window, you will see two small seats. But the main attraction of Aston Martins was their power: almost 200kph. 765 of these cars were manufactured between 1953 and 1959. This model was donated to the museum in 1986. |
| In the future, lorry drivers could be free to doze or read a newspaper as their vehicles travel along the motorways of the world, according to Mercedes-Benz. They say that lorries could travel on special lorry-only lanes, and that electronic safety systems would ‘read’ the road ahead, keep a safe distance between vehicles and set the speed. The driver would only take over when the lorry left the motorway and returned to normal roads. This vision of the future was explained at he Hanover Commercial Vehicle Show recently, at which Mercedes showed their EXT-92 experimental lorry of the future. Among the many features, the lorry would include a luxurious living area for the driver, complete with bunk bed, microwave cooker, television, telephone and fax machine. |
The writer of passage 1 criticizes (批评) the Viper because______.
| A．he/she dislikes the colour | B．it is too small for most families |
| C．it uses too much petrol and pollutes the air. | |
| D．it is very fast and will break the speed limit |
The main purpose of Passage 2 is to______.
| A．try to sell a second-hand car | B．explain why this car has four seats |
| C． give interesting information | D．describe a new car planned for the future |
In Passage 3, the writer’s main purpose is to ______.
| A．warn readers about a dangerous development | |
| B．try to sell a new commercial vehicle | |
| C．inform readers about future transport ideas | D．tell a silly story |
Which of the following would be the best title for Passage 3?
| A．The Dangers of Tired Drivers | B．Lorries which won’t need Drivers |
| C．Lorries which can Fly | D．The Lorry of the Future |
Queen Victoria was monarch of Great Britain from 1837 until her death in 1901. This period is often called the Victorian Age.
Queen Victoria was a stern and serious woman. One reason she was so serious was that she had suffered a great loss. When she was twenty years old, she married a German prince named Albert. Victoria and Albert were deeply in love, and their marriage was extremely happy. In 1861, after they had been married for twenty-one years, Albert died, leaving Queen Victoria heartbroken. For the rest of her life, the lonely Victoria mourned his loss. It was customary in those days for a widow to dress in black for a short time after the death of her husband. But Queen Victoria dressed in black for forty years. And for forty years, as another sigh of her grief, she wrote her letters white paper edged in black.
Even before Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria was known as a very serious woman. She had a strong sense of duty and worked very hard at all her tasks. In her diary she wrote, “I love to be employed; I hate to be idle.” She never forgot that she was Britain’s queen and always acted with great dignity. Victoria had high ideals and moral standards that sometimes made her seem stuffy. She was also very sure of herself. She always thought that she was right, and she expected everyone to agree with her.Which of the following statements about Queen Victoria is NOT true?
| A．She had great confidence in herself. |
| B．She ruled Great Britain for sixty-four years. |
| C．She enjoyed her marriage to a German prince. |
| D．She became a serious woman after her beloved husband died. |
Queen Victoria wrote her letters on white paper edged in black because______
| A．she was a very serious woman. |
| B．black was her favorite color. |
| C．that was one way to show her feeling of sadness. |
| D．it was a custom among monarchs of Great Britain. |
All of the following characteristics except ______ can be used to properly describe Queen Victoria.
| A．moral | B．lonely | C．workaholic( 工作狂) | D．compromising (妥协) |
One important attraction of walking is its long-lasting appeal. Whereas jogging and aerobic dancing can pall quickly, walking provides a popular activity that seems to endure. Fitness foundations estimate that 35 million adult Americans walk for exercise every day, with at least 15 million walking two or three times a week. Among the most regular walkers are those 65 years and older—evidence that walking is an exercise that lasts.
In addition to its many physical benefits, walking, like other physical activities, has a comforting effect on the psyche. Walking can help you to think more clearly and feel more relaxed. It also can be a sociable activity. An early morning walk around the neighborhood provides an opportunity to chat with friends or simply admire the flowers. Or because it does not require a team or even a partner, walking is something you can do on your own time, by yourself, whenever the mood strikes.
Easily affordable, all you need to start walking is enthusiasm and a pair of comfortable and sturdy low-heeled shoes. Dr.ChristineL. Wells recommends an Oxford-style shoe with ties for better foot support; she does not recommend sneakers or other “cheapies”. If you plan to walk regularly, you might want to invest in a pair of so-called walking shoes. If so, expect to spend at least $35.
For walking during the hotter months, early morning or evening hours are best. Clothes should fit loosely and be lightweight and light-colored. Elderly walkers should consider wearing long sleeves, and all Arizonans need to be particularly concerned about skin cancer. Dr. Wells suggests wearing sunscreen as well as a side-brimmed hat to protect your eyes, ears, nose and back of the neck.
Walkers also should drink an adequate amount of water. Wells advises drinking an 8-ounce glass of water before you start out, and more when you return. “If you walk four miles or more a day in Arizona, I also recommend that you carry a water bottle,” she says. “ And water is just fine; you don’t need those fluid-replacement or electrolyte drinks.”The underlined word “pall” most probably means________.
| A．interest people | B．be easily learnt | C．become boring | D．become popular |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a benefit of walking?
| A．It improves one’s appetite. | B．It’s an inexpensive exercise |
| C．It helps to comfort the mind. | D．it can be an individual or social activity |
For regular walking, what you need most is _______.
| A．endurance | B．enthusiasm | C．strength | D．relaxation |
We may infer from the passage that _______.
| A．people in Arizona are easily exposed to strong sunlight. |
| B．walking is most suitable for those 65 years and older |
| C．water is better than any other drinks for walkers |
| D．jogging and dancing don’t have any positive effect on the mind. |
Which word best describes the author’s attitude toward walking?
| A．positive | B．playful | C．doubtful | D．cautious(谨慎) |
David Beckham was born in 1975, in London, at a place called Leytonstone. When he was a young boy , his greatest passion was football. He played it whenever he had the chance. Sometimes he would go and watch a game with his friends. When David Beckham was 12 years old, he won the Bobby Charlton Soccer Skills award （奖金）. This was an important step forward for this young boy, and it led him to go for a visit to a football training camp in Spain. As a boy he played for the schools of Essex and also for his county team.
In 1991, he became a trainee with Manchester United. This meant that he could practice football as much as he wanted to and play for the highly successful Manchester United Youth Cup team and Under-21 team. In April, 1995, he played his first football league game against Leeds United. During 1996, David became a regular member of the team and Manchester United won in both football seasons, with David scoring many goals.
His goals made him a household name. In the first game of the 1996—1997 season, he scored an surprising goal from beyond the halfway line; seeing the goalkeeper a little way out of his goal, Beckham sent the ball over the goalkeeper’s head and into the goal. It was a wonderful goal and Beckham became famous overnight. He continued to score astonishing goals, especially from free—kicks. The speed of one of his shots was timed at 157 kph. He also had the ability to make the ball go from left to right, or right to left, whenever he chose. Goalkeepers were never sure where the ball was going, and it regularly ended up in the goal. David Beckham won his first prize for football skills
| A．in 1975 | B．in 1987 | C．in 1991 | D．in 1996 |
Which word can take the place of the underlined word “passion” in paragraph 1?
| A．skill | B．prize | C．success | D．interest |
The unusually surprising way that he scored goals
| A．made him popular in many British homes | B．helped him to gain many prizes for Essex |
| C．kept him playing for Leeds United | D．offered him the chance to join the national team |
Which of the following shows the right order of what happened to Beckham?
a. Beckham played his first football league game.
b. Beckham won the Bobby Charlton Soccer Skills award.
c. Beckham played for Manchester United Youth Cup team.
d. Beckham went to Spain to join a football training camp.
e. Beckham played for the schools of Essex.
| A．e, b, a, d, c | B．e, d, a, c, b | C．b, d, e, c, a | D．b, e, d, a, c |
The passage is mainly talking about
| A．when Beckham became famous all over Britain |
| B．how Beckham became a successful football player |
| C．why Beckham could win in football league games |
| D．what abilities Beckham had to score so many goals |
Moods, say the experts, are feelings that tend to become fixed, influencing one’s outlook for hours, days or even weeks. That’s great if your mood is a pleasant one, but a problem if you are sad, anxious, angry or simply lonely.
Perhaps the best way to deal with such moods is to talk them out; sometimes, though, there is no one to listen. Modern pharmacology（药理学）offers a lot of tranquilizers（镇静剂）What many people don’t realize, however, is that scientists have discovered the effectiveness of several non-drug methods to set you loose from an unwanted mood. These can be just as useful as drugs, and have the added benefit of being nonpoisonous. So next time you feel out of sorts, don’t head for the drug-store but try the following methods.
Of all the mood-altering self-help techniques, aerobic exercise seems to be the most efficient cure for a bad mood. “If you could keep up the exercise, you’d be in high spirits, ” says Kathryn Lance, author of Running for Health and Beauty.
Researchers have explained biochemical and various other changes that make exercise compare favourably to drugs as a mood raiser. Physical exertion such as housework, however, does little. The key is aerobic exercise—running, cycling, walking, swimming or other repetitive and sustained activities that increase the heart rate, increase blood circulation and improve the body’s use of oxygen. Do some of the activities for at least 20 minutes a session three to five times a week.What is the main subject discussed in the passage?
| A．How to beat a bad mood. | B．How to talk bad moods out. |
| C．How to do physical exercises. | D．How to join in aerobic exercises. |
According to the passage, all of the statements are true EXCEPT that
| A．climbing is an efficient cure for a bad mood |
| B．moods can have a bad effect on people’s health |
| C．aerobic exercise can help people get rid of bad moods |
| D．pharmacology has provided people with many tranquilizers |
“Feel out of sorts” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by “”
| A．put things in order | B．are in high spirits |
| C．are in a bad mood | D．search for tranquilizers |
It can be inferred from the passage that
| A．some drugs are more effective than physical exercises |
| B．a person does not need aerobic exercise if he is in a good mood |
| C．the best way to overcome a bad mood is to talk to oneself |
| D．when in a bad mood, one may not work very efficiently |