To swim across the English Channel takes at least nine hours. It‘s hard work and it makes you short of breath. To fly over the channel takes only twenty minutes as long as you’re not held up at the airport， but it‘s an expensive way to travel. You can travel by hovercraft （气垫船）if you don’t mind the noise and that takes forty minutes. Otherwise， you can go by boat， if you remember your sea-sickness pills. All these means of transport have their problems， and the weary（厌烦的）traveler often dreams of being able to drive to France in his own car. “Not possible， you say. Well， wait a minute. People are once again considering the idea of a channel tunnel or bridge.” This time， the great London Council（议会）is looking into the possibility of building a channel link straight to London. A bridge would cost far more than a tunnel， but you would be able to by rail or by car on a bridge， yet a tunnel would provide a rail link only. Why is this idea being discussed again？ Is Britain realizing the need for links with Europe as a result of joining EEC？ Well， perhaps， the main reason， though， is that a tunnel or bridge would reach the twenty square kilometers of London‘s discussed dockland（船坞）。 A link from London to the continent would stimulate（刺激） trade and revitalize（使重新具有活力）the port， and would make London a main trading center in Europe. With a link over the Channel， you could buy your fish and chips in England and be able to eat them in France while they are still warm！ From the lines we can see that people crossed the Channel by ______ in the past.
| A．air | B．boat | C．Swimming | D．A， B， or C |
The weary traveler thinks the best way to cross the Channel is ______.
| A．by swimming | B．in his own car | C．by air | D．by hovercraft |
A tunnel would cost______ a bridge.
| A．far less than | B．as much as | C．far more than | D．as little as |
According to the passage， a link from London to the continent would be______.
| A．necessary for its trade | B．important for its politics |
| C．useful for its industry | D．helpful for its culture |
The main idea of the passage is______.
| A．how to develop the trade of London |
| B．when to cross the Channel |
| C．how to get to Europe from London more conveniently |
| D．what to do in the developing of traveling |
In the second half of each year, many powerful storms are born in the tropical(热带的)Atlantic and Caribbean seas. Of these, only about half a dozen becomes the strong, circling winds of 75 miles per hour or more that are called hurricanes, and several usually make their way to the coast. There they cause millions of dollars of damage, and bring death to large numbers of people.
The great storms that hit the coast start as soft circling wind hundreds — even thousands — of miles out to sea. As they travel aimlessly over water warmed by the summer sun, they are carried westward by the southeast winds. When conditions are just right, warm, moist(潮湿) air flows in at the bottom of such a wind, moves upward through it and comes out at the top. In the process(过程), the moisture in this warm air produces rain, and with it the heat is changed to energy in the form of strong winds. As the heat increases, the young hurricane begins to move in a counter-clockwise motion(逆时针运动).
The life of a hurricane is only about nine days, but it contains almost more power than we can imagine. The energy in the heat released(释放) by a hurricane’s rainfall in a single day would satisfy the entire electrical needs of the United States for more than six months. Water, not wind, is the main source of death and destruction(毁灭) in a hurricane. A typical hurricane brings 6 to 12 inch downpours, causing sudden floods. Worst of all is the powerful movement of the sea — the mountains of water moving toward the hurricane center. The water level rises as much as 15 feet above normal as it moves toward shore. When is an ordinary tropical storm called a hurricane?
| A．When it begins in the Atlantic and Caribbean seas. |
| B．When it hits the coastline. |
| C．When it is more than 75 miles wide. |
| D．When its winds reach 75 miles per hour. |
What is the worst thing about hurricanes?
| A．The terrible effects of water. | B．The heat they give off. |
| C．That they last about nine days. | D．Their strong winds. |
Here the word “downpour” means ______.
| A．heavy rainfall |
| B．dangerous waves |
| C．the progress of water to the hurricane center |
| D．the increasing heat |
Which statement about a hurricane is wrong?
| A．It travels more than 75 miles per hour. |
| B．It usually stays about 9 days. |
| C．It usually causes 6 to 12 inch downpours. |
| D．It sometimes brings the sea water level to the height of 15 feet. |
New findings suggest that brainy card games such as contract bridge may temporarily(临时地) raise production of a key blood cell including in fighting off illness. After 90 minutes of play, bridge players had increased levels of immune(免疫) cells, according to the research reported last week.
A researcher, Diamond, studied bridge players from a women’s bridge club. She chose bridge players because the game includes skills stimulating(刺激) a part of the brain called the dorsolateral cortex. Earlier animal research suggests that this part of the brain may play a role in the immune system.
The findings are based on blood samples drawn from 12 women players. Their blood samples showed a rise in levels of white blood cells called T cells after they played bridge for 90 minutes. T cells are produced by the thymus gland(胸腺) and used by the immune system against diseases.
The T cell count jumped significantly in eight of the bridge players, and slightly in the other four. The findings contribute to the field of neuroimmunology(神经免疫学), whose name reflects the fact that the nervous system and the immune system are not considered separate and isolated(独立的) systems. What isn’t clear is whether the help to the immune system from an activity like contract bridge is lasting or temporary. It is also not clear whether the increase in T cells could finally be targeted against special illnesses. Playing bridge can help one to fight off diseases because it can _______.
| A．raise production of a key blood cell | B．make people joyful |
| C．aid digestion | D．make break away from the bad habits |
Diamond chose to study bridge players for the research because _______.
| A．the players are good friends of hers |
| B．she loves playing bridge |
| C．this game stimulates a part of the brain that has something to do with immune system |
| D．she is a clever manager, who operates her bridge club well |
A T cell is _______ cell.
| A．a brain | B．a white blood |
| C．a red blood | D．a kind of dangerous blood |
Which of the following is true according to this article?
| A．The immune system and the brain system used to be considered separate and isolated systems. |
| B．The help to the immune system that is brought about by playing bridge can last for a long time. |
| C．Cortex is a kind of blood cell. |
| D．The new findings are impossible. |
I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top
of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易动感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer, none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me, as she’d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折叠) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
| A．after Mother died | B．before she became a writer |
| C．when she was a child | D．when mother gave it to her |
The passage shows that _______.
| A．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter |
| B．Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done |
| C．Mother cared much about her daughter in words |
| D．Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words. |
The world “gulf” in the passage means _______.
| A．deep understanding between the old and the young. |
| B．different ideas between the mother and the daughter. |
| C．free talks between mother and daughter. |
| D．part of the sea going far in land. |
What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
| A．She had never received the letter. |
| B．For years, she often talked about the letter. |
| C．She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life. |
| D．She read the letter again and again till she died. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．My letter to Mother | B．Mother and Children |
| C．My Mother’s Desk | D．Talks between Mother and me. |
Parents whose children show a special interest in a sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their children's careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sportsmen and sportswomen? For many children it means starting schoolwork very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place. It's very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing.
Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the very best young sportsmen and sportswomen. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child's development and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc. All can be very expensive.
Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may he damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by training when young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training.This passage is most probably taken from _______.
| A．a letter | B．an advertisement | C．a personal diary | D．a newspaper |
According to the passage, parents whose children show a special interest in a sport ____.
| A．feel uncertain if they should let their children train to be sportsmen or sportswomen |
| B．try to get financial support from the government for their children's training |
| C．have to get medical advice from doctors about training methods |
| D．prefer their children to be trained as young as possible |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．By starting young, you won't have much time for your schoolwork. |
| B．Early training may damage your muscles. |
| C．Most children may become top sportsmen after a long period of training. |
| D．It' s very expensive for parents to support their child's development in sports. |
The phrase "to take a second place" underlined in first paragraph means "_______".
| A．to repeat the activities some other day |
| B．to become less important |
| C．of all the things, they are the most important |
| D．to happen again |
_____ can become the best players after many years of training.
| A．Most people | B．Many people | C．merely a few people | D．No people |
Phillip Island Penguins(企鹅)
The Little Penguin has called Phillip Island home for untold generations. Get to Phillip Island in plenty of time to watch s summer sunset at Summerland Beach – the stage is attractively set to see the little Penguin leave water and step onto land.
·Leave Melbourne at 5:30 pm for a direct journey to Phillip Island.
·See the Gippsland area – Guinness Book of Records place for the world’s longest earthworm(蚯蚓)
·Journey along the coastal highway around the Bay with French Island and Churchill Island in the distance
·Cross the bridge at San Remo to enter Phillip Island – natural home for Little Penguins and many animals
·Take your place in special viewing stands(看台) to watch the daily evening performance of the wild Little Penguins
Ultimate Penguins (+U)
Join a group of up to 15. This guided tour goes to an attractive, quiet beach to see Little Penguins. You can see penguins at night by wearing a special pair of glasses.
Adult(成人) $60.00 Child $30.00
Viewing Platform Penguin Plus (+V)
More personalized wildlife viewing limited to 130 people providing closer viewing of the penguin arrival than the main viewing stands.
Adult $25.00 Child $12.50
Penguin Skybox (+S)
Join a group of only 5 in the comfort of a special, higher-up viewing tower. Gain an excellent overview of Summerland Beach.
Adult 16yrsWhat kind of people is the text mainly written for?
| A．Scientists. | B．Students | C．Tourists. | D．Artists. |
We can learn from the text that Little Penguins__________.
| A．have been on Phillip Island for years |
| B．keep a Guinness record for their size |
| C．are trained to practice diving for visitors |
| D．live in large groups to protect themselves |
How much would a couple with one child pay for a closer viewing tour?
| A．$37.50. | B．$62.50. | C．$180.00. | D．$150.00. |