(BBC News April 18) All flights in and out of the UK and several other European countries have been cancelled as ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moves south.
Up to 4,000 flights are being cancelled with airspace closed in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark among others.
The UK’s air traffic control service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in UK airspace until at least 07:00 BST on Friday for fear of engine damage.
Safety group Eurocontrol said the problem could last for 48 hours.
The volcano is still erupting and the wind direction is expected to continue bringing clouds into UK and European airspace for some time to come.
The UK’s airspace restriction was the worst in living memory, a Nats spokesman said. Some 600,000 people are thought to have been affected.
Nats suggested that the restrictions were unlikely to be lifted (解除) after 07:00, saying it was “very unlikely that the situation over England will improve in the foreseeable future”.
Passengers were advised to contact their carriers before travelling.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said he was “closely monitoring the situation” and would be meeting with key transport officials on Friday morning.
Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud from the still-erupting volcano could be sufficient to jam aircraft engines.
The Health Protection Agency said the ash from the eruption did not bring a significant risk to public health because of its high altitude.
However, the British Lung Foundation has warned people with lung conditions to keep their medication (医疗护理) with them as a precautionary measure.
These are some of the knock-on effects:
● Eurocontrol says Germany is monitoring the situation and considering partial airspace closures.
● The two main airports in Paris and many others in the north of France are closing.
● There is severe disruption (崩溃) in France and Spain, where all northbound flights are cancelled.
● Nats is due to make an announcement shortly as to the arrangements that will be in place
through to 13:00 BST on Friday.
● British Airways offers refunds or an option to rebook after all its domestic flights are suspended.
Flybe announces it has cancelled all flights up until 13:00 BST on Friday and more than 25 services due to run after that.
British sports teams have been hit by travel problems after flights were grounded.
60. What may passengers do on hearing the news according to the passage?
A. They may cancel their international flights.
B. They may contact the airlines before traveling.
C. They may take measures to protect their lungs from the ash.
D. They may stay indoors till the volcanic eruption dies down.
61. Why have some European countries cancelled flights after the volcanic eruption?
A. Because the volcanic ash may make passengers ill.
B. Because people refuse to take the international flights.
C. Because the volcanic ash may jam or damage the engine.
D. Because the flights may be hit by the rocks from the eruption.
62. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. All the flights are likely to return to normal in 48 hours.
B. British people had experienced a worse airspace restriction before that.
C. Germany is monitoring the situation and considering closing all airspace.
D. The UK airspace restrictions are unlikely to be lifted in the foreseeable future.
No one knows for sure when advertising first started. It is possible that it grew out of the discovery that some people did certain kinds of work better than others did them. That led to the concept of specialization, which means that people would specialize, or focus, on doing one specific job.
Let’s take a man we’ll call Mr. Fielder, for example. He did everything connected with farming. He planted seeds, tended the fields, and harvested and sold his crops. At the same time, he did many other jobs on the farm. However, he didn’t make the bricks for his house, cut his trees into boards, make the plows (犁), or any of other hundreds of things a farm needs. Instead, he got them from people who specialized in doing each of those things. Suppose there was another man we shall call Mr. Plowright. Using what he knew about farming and working with iron, Mr. Plowright invented a plow that made farming easier. Mr. Plowright did not really like farming himself and wanted to specialize in making really good plows. Perhaps, he thought, other farmers will trade what they grow for one of my plows.
How did Mr. Plowright let people know what he was doing? Why, he advertised, of course. First he opened a shop and then he put up a sign outside the shop to attract customers. That sign may have been no more than a plow carved into a piece of wood and a simple arrow pointing to the shop door. It was probably all the information people needed to find Mr. Plowright and his really good plows.
Many historians believe that the first outdoor signs were used about five thousand years ago. Even before most people could read, they understood such signs. Shopkeepers would carve into stone, clay, or wood symbols for the products they had for sale.
A medium, in advertising talk, is the way you communicate your message. You might say that the first medium used in advertising was signs with symbols. The second medium was audio, or sound, although that term is not used exactly in the way we use it today. Originally, just the human voice and maybe some kind of simple instrument, such as a bell, were used to get people’s attention.
A crier, in the historical sense, is not someone who weeps easily. It is someone, probably a man, with a voice loud enough to be heard over the other noises of a city. In ancient Egypt, shopkeepers might hire such a person to spread the news about their products. Often this earliest form of advertising involved a newly arrived ship loaded with goods. Perhaps the crier described the goods, explained where they came from, and praised their quality. His job was, in other words, not too different from a TV or radio commercial in today’s world.What probably led to the start of advertisement?
A.The discovery of iron. |
B.The development of farming techniques. |
C.The specialization of labor. |
D.The appearance of new jobs. |
The writer makes up the two stories of Mr. Fielder and Mr. Plowright in order to __________.
A.explain the origin of advertising |
B.predict the future of advertising |
C.provide suggestions for advertising |
D.expose problems in advertising |
In ancient Egypt, a crier was probably someone who __________.
A.functioned like today’s TV or radio commercial |
B.owned a ship |
C.had the loudest voice |
D.ran a shop selling goods to farmers |
The last two paragraphs are mainly about __________.
A.the basic design of advertising |
B.the early forms of advertising |
C.the benefits of advertising |
D.the history of advertising |
For years scientists have been worried about the effects of air pollution on the earth’s natural conditions. Some believe the air inside many houses may be more dangerous than the air outside. It may be one hundred times worse.
Indoor air pollution can cause a person to feel tired, to suffer eye pain, headache and other problems. Some pollutants(污染物) can cause breathing disorders, diseases of blood and even cancer. Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution.
People have paid more attention to the problem now. It is true that when builders began making houses and offices they did not waste energy. To do this they build buildings that limited the flow of air between inside and outside. They also began using man-made building materials. These materials are now known to let out harmful gases.
As the problem became more serious, scientists began searching for a way to deal with it. They discovered a natural pollution control system for building--green plants. Scientists do not really know how plants control air pollution. They believe that a plant’s leaves absorb or take in the pollutants. In exchange the plant lets out oxygen through its leaves and tiny organizations on its roots. Scientists suggest that all buildings should have one large plant or several small plants inside for every nine square meters of space. Studies of different plants show that each absorbs different chemicals. So the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants. Having green plants inside your house can make it a prettier and more healthy place.Generally speaking, indoor air pollution may be more harmful than the air outside because________.
A.indoor air pollution can often make people seriously ill |
B.there may be more harmful gases outside the buildings |
C.the air indoors is polluted, which is very harmful |
D.man-made building materials give off dangerous gases |
Some kind of indoor pollution can be found in _______.
A.every modern house | B.every old house |
C.all kinds of houses | D.all kinds of offices |
The indoor air pollution is caused by ______.
A.the building way that the builders want to save energy |
B.the man-made building materials and the limit of air-flow |
C.the building things that are made of man-made materials |
D.the limit of the flow of air between inside and outside |
The reason why we should use different kinds of plants to clean the air is that ______.
A.plants can let out all kinds of pollutants indoors |
B.plants may take in more oxygen which people need |
C.plants can absorb all kinds of harmful indoor chemicals |
D.plants can make our houses prettier and more healthy |
Still seeking a destination for your weekend break? There are some places which are probably a mere walk away from your college.
King's Art Centre
A day at the Centre could mean a visit to an exhibition of the work of one of the most interesting contemporary artists on show anywhere. This weekend sees the opening of an exhibition of four local artists.
You could attend a class teaching you how to 'learn from the masters' or get more creative with paint--free of charge. The Centre also runs two life drawing classes for which there is a small fee.
The Botanic Garden
The Garden has over 8, 000 plant species; it holds the research and teaching collection of living plants for Cambridge University.
The multi-branched Torch Aloe here is impressive. The African plant produces red flowers above blue-green leaves, and is not one to miss.
Get to the display house to see Dionaea muscipula, a plant more commonly known as the Venus Flytrap that feeds on insects and other small animals.
The Garden is also a place for wildlife-enthusiasts. Look for grass snakes in the lake. A snake called 'Hissing Sid' is regularly seen lying in the heat of the warm sun.
Byron's Pool
Many stories surround Lord Byron's time as a student of Cambridge University, Arriving in 1805, he wrote a letter complaining that it was a place of "mess and drunkenness". However, it seems as though Byron did manage to pass the time pleasantly enough. I'm not just talking about the pet bear he kept in his roans. He spent a great deal of time walking in the village.
It is also said that on occasion Byron swam naked by moonlight in the lake, which is now known as Byron's Pool. A couple of miles past Grantchester in the south Cambridgeshire countryside, the pool is surrounded by beautiful circular paths around the fields. The cries of invisible birds make the trip a lovely experience and on the way home you can drop into the village for afternoon tea. If you don't trust me, then perhaps you’ll take it from Virginia Woolf--over a century after Byron, she reportedly took a trip to swim in the same pool.As mentioned in the passage, there is a small charge for_____.
A.attending the masters' class |
B.working with local artists |
C.learning life drawing |
D.seeing an exhibition |
"Torch Aloe" and "Venus Flytrap" are_____.
A.wildlife-enthusiasts |
B.rarely-seen snakes |
C.common insects |
D.impressive plants |
We can infer from the passage that Byron seemed_____.
A.to fear pet bears |
B.to like walking |
C.to finish university in 1805 |
D.to be a heavy drinker |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.Some places for weekend break |
B.Unknown stories of Cambridge University. |
C.A way to become creative in art. |
D.The colorful life in the countryside. |
A.Foreword |
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The Antidepressant Survival Guide: Beat the Side Effects of Your Medication by Robert J.Hedaya, M.D, Robert J.Hedaya, M.D., is a clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Hospital's Department of Psychiatry. Motto: Live well. |
B.How Fear Limits Us |
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On Becoming Fearless in Love, Work, and Life by Arianna Huffington Arianna Huffington was raised in Greece by her fearless mother.She has written this book for her two daughters in the hope that they will lead fearless lives. Motto: Overcome the obstacle, get over the next hill. |
C.Determination: How to Set Goals and Go After Them |
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Fight Your Fear and Win by Don Greene, Ph.D. Don Greene, Ph.D., was a nationally ranked high school diver.He was the sports psychologist for the U.S.Olympic Diving Team. Motto: Determination is drive. |
D.The Anger Business |
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Anger : The Misunderstood Emotion by Carol Tavris, Ph.D. Carol Tavris, Ph.D., was senior editor,she now teaches from time to time in the department of psychology at UCLA Motto: Reduce Stress! |
E.In the Presence of Danger |
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The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker Davin de Becker, America's leading expert on violence, is the best-selling author of the Gift of Fear: Survival Signals. Motto: Trust and act on our straight instincts. |
F.Moving from Fear to Freedom |
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Transforming Anxiety, Transcending Shame by Rex Briggs, M.S.W. REX BRIGGS, M.S.W., has been a selected speaker at the National Anxiety Disorders Association of America's conferences since 1986. Motto: Weaken anxiety |
下面是这些书的简要内容,请匹配相关的书名。This useful, popular book shows that if you are gone broke and lose love, please hold yourself back. If you look fat, just face it calmly. If you are in survival thinking, the most important is that you get rid of all the difficulties in front of us, life will be safe, perfect. If your daughters are to take their rightful place in society, they must become fearless.
In this book, the author calls the nation's leading experts on violent behavior, and shows you how to spot even tiny signs of danger before it's too late. Most violent acts are unpredictable. It points out that true fear is often a signal that can save your life. Believe the threat of violence surrounds us every day. But we can protect ourselves by straight judgment.
This book based on his years of clinical experience. It says about twentyfive million Americans take medicine to avoid depression. Despite the advances in the treatment of depression in recent years, many patients, even with the best medical care, feel that they are not living rich and fulfilling lives. This book will direct you how to survive well.
This interesting book tells us that annoyance is as much a political matter as a biological one. And anger is a definite message: Pay attention to me. I don't like what you are doing. Restore my pride. You're in my way. Give me justice. This book suggests that when you're angry, just let it right out.
This valuable book states that nervousness has become a constant factor in today's society like a sign of the times, but it is sometimes difficult to recognize the effects of anxiety on our mental health. The only way to feel better about ourselves is to go out and do it.
Nothing succeeds like confidence. When you are truly confident, it radiates from you like sunlight, and attracts success to you like a magnet(磁铁. Besides, those who are self-confident can in turn inspire confidence in others: their audience, their peers, their bosses, their customers, and their friends. And gaining the confidence of others is one of the key ways in which a self-confident person finds success.
So how can we build a sense of self-confidence and prepare ourselves on the way to success?
First, do what you believe to be right, even if others mock or criticize you for it. Believe in yourself and believe that you can do it under any circumstances, because if you believe you can, then you really will. The belief keeps you searching for answers, which means that pretty soon you will get them.
Second, govern your behavior based on what other people think. What’s more important, be willing to take risks and go the extra miles to achieve better results, in which case mistakes cannot be avoided. Don’t hesitate to admit your mistakes, and learn from them. Next, work hard to settle the problems in order to cover up your mistakes before anyone notices. Building self-confidence is readily achievable, as long as you have the focus and determination to carry things through. And what’s even better is that the things you’ll do to build self-confidence will also build success ----after all, your confidence will come from real, solid achievement. No one can take this away from you!
As you sow, sow will reap. With your perseverance and improvement, you are getting closer to success. At this stage, wait for others to congratulate you on your accomplishments and compliments graciously. “Thanks, I really worked hard on that prospect. I’m pleased you recognize my efforts.” The congratulations and compliments from others will promote you to gain further success.
Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives, and it is no wonder that so many people struggle to find it. Self-confidence really can be learned and built on. Besides, whether you’re working on your own self-confidence or building the confidence of people around you, it’s well worth the effort!Those who are truly confident _________.
A.succeed without effort and hard work |
B.encourage people around to become confident |
C.appear more attractive and thus become successful |
D.gain the confidence of others and feel successful |
The underlined word “mock” (Para.3 ) is closest in meaning to ________.
A.praise | B.imitate |
C.punish | D.laugh at |
When others congratulate us on our achievements, we are supposed to ________.
A.praise them in return |
B.gain further improvement |
C.politely accept the compliments |
D.expect them to congratulate you again |
Which of the following proverbs best goes with Paragraph 4?
A.Look before your leap. |
B.It is no use crying over spilt milk. |
C.Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. |
D.Learn from past mistakes and avoid future ones. |
The purpose of the text is to ________________.
A.tell people how to become successful |
B.convince people to do what they believe to be right |
C.encourage people to build confidence and achieve success |
D.criticize people who lack confidence and thus fail in their career |