Every year landslides (滑坡) cause 25 to 50 deaths and $1.5 billion in damage in the United States. They account for 15 percent of the deaths from natural disasters in Europe. And in December, a single event killed more than 200 people in the Philippines. Sending workers to stabilize (加固) mountainsides using steel bars and cement (水泥) can help prevent disaster, but it introduces new difficulties. Shaking drills produce harmful dust and loosen heavy, dangerous debris (岩屑). "It's quite a risky job,"says Giorgio Pezzuto of D'Appolonia, an engineering company in Italy.
D'Appolonia, working with eight other companies, may have an answer: a three-ton robot called Roboclimber. "The idea is to operate a machine far away that can drill without a human being on board,"says Pezzuto, manager for the project, which is supported by the European Commission. Engineers claim that the machine will be faster and cheaper than manual labor. The robot, a large radio-controlled four-legged mechanical spider(蜘蛛), has cost at least $2 million so far. The final product should be able to climb unstable mountainsides, drill holes, in_sert bars and cement, and collect data on the slope's stability. Testing should begin in May.
64. The underlined word "event"(in Paragraph 1) refers to _____.
A. landslide B. machine C. earthquake D. flood
65. The purpose in writing this text is _____.
A. to tell people how serious the damage caused by landslides is
B. to tell people that sending workers to stabilize mountainsides is a risky job
C. to introduce a product that can be used to stabilize mountainsides
D. to show people how to use a new product
66. What does the robot look like?
A. A human being. B. A spider. C. A truck. D. A drill.
67. The biggest advantage of this product is that _____.
A. it will be faster and cheaper than manual labor
B. it can climb mountainsides, drill holes, in_sert bars and cement
C. it can collect data on the slope's stability
D. it can drill without a human being on board
Is there something that you’ve always wanted to try but just never had the time? Well, make plans to try it now since you are on summer vacation．Not all vacations call for taking a tour bus to take photos of famous landmarks. Some vacations allow you plenty of opportunities to learn.
The most difficult aspect of a learning vacation vacation may be choosing one because the possibilities are endless．If you enjoy cooking, various companies can take you to Italy, France, Spain, Mexico or even Peru. Once there, you can learn to prepare the local cuisine（烹饪）. Trips are often planned to fit in with local food festivals or special events.
The term “learning vacation” often brings language to mind. The best way to learn a language is in an environment where it’s spoken. Study Spanish, French or English. Or attempt a more unusual language like Polish, Estonian or Thai. You’ll be able to learn about the country and absorb the culture at the same time.
If you are fond of sports, you can polish your skills or learn new ones. Golf and tennis schools welcome players of all levels. If you want a bigger thrill, you can learn to surf, go climbing or race cars. It’s even possible to learn the art and techniques of bull fighting while on vacation!
You can also discover our inner artist. Many places offer painting classes in different mediums. The scenic locations of the schools offer plenty of subjects that provide inspiration for practice.
If you prefer capturing the world on film, take a photography vacation. Travel with a small group to photograph beautiful animals or scenery. You can also practise your technique on people or at historical sights.
Once you decide on a vacation, choose a company carefully. Request names of recent customers you can contact, and then ask them for an evaluation. The more you know before you go, the better prepared you’ll be. Then go out and learn something!
56．Why is it hard for you to decide on a learning vacation?
A．Because it is hard for you to make plans.
B．Because the possibilities are unlimited.
C．Because there are many good foods from abroad.
D．Because there’re too many food festivals or events.
57．The advantages of learning a language in its native country is that .
A．the environment is fit for you to use the language
B．you are able to learn the original foreign language
C．native speakers offer you a lot of chances to practise
D．you can learn the language and experience its culture
58．Which of the following sports suit you if you don’t like thrills?
A．Car racing. B．Playing tennis. C．Rock climb. D．Surfing.
59．The structure of the text would be .
|
| Is veg food healthier than non-veg food? I feel this is a very common topic that people speak on．Please give me your opinions on this topic． |
|
| Rao 12-18-08 |
So far as veg food is concerned, it is also proved to be a healthy and nutritious diet, but has very few items which can provide us with proteins, but if you see non-veg food like eggs, chicken, and many more, such foods have a large content of proteins in them. |
| Sai 12-19-08 |
Man basically is herbivorous（食草的）. If we look at the animal kingdom We can see that all the herbivorous animals have the similar dental（牙齿的） structure, which clearly shows that the human being also ought to be vegetarian by birth. It is only the living conditions that make man carnivorous（食肉的）. The vegetarian foods are easily digestible. |
| Santos 12-20-08 |
Non-veg food items are better than veg items. A healthy person requires complete diet and veg+ meat makes the diet complete. The only caution that needs to be taken is not to have non-veg items on a daily basis. Once in a week or couple of weeks will be best. |
| Krishna 01-03-09 |
When we eat non-veg, we are all veg by nature. The chicken that we eat feeds on grains, the mutton that we eat feeds on grass, and the fish that we eat feeds on simple plants. So non-veg food by logic（逻辑）is better and suited for hauman beings. |
| Khan 01-05-09 |
Non-veg food is equally important in our diet as it helps in many ways, especially fish and other seafood as fish contains omega 3 which makes our immune system（免疫系统）stronger. Do you know that most of the veg food put together does not contain as much omega 3 as fish alone contains! |
68．According to Rao, what is the problem with veg food?
A．It damages our immune system.
B．It has few nutrients.
C．It contains too much omega 3.
D．It is lacking in protein.
69．In the opinion of Sai, humans are born vegetarian because humans .
A．have the same teeth structure as plant-eating animals
B．believe that veg foods are good for their teeth
C．belong to the plant-eating animal family
D．can adapt to the living conditions like plant-eating animals
70．What advice is given by Santos?
A．To have a saily veg+ meat diet.
B．Not to eat non-veg food every day.
C．To eat digestible food every day.
D．Not to eat food without protein.
Dangerous Sports
Around the world more and more people are taking part in danger ous sports and activities．Of course, there have always been people who have looked for adventure—those who have climbed unknown parts of the world or sailed in small boats across the greatest oceans．Now, however, there are people who seek an immediate thrill, a risky activity, which may only last a few minutes or even seconds．
I would consider bungee jumping to be a good example of such an activity．You jump from a high place（perhaps a bridge or a hot-air balloon） 200 meters above the ground with an elastic（有弹性的） rope tied to your feet．You fall at up to 150 kilometers an hour until the rope stops you from hitting the ground．It is said that about 2 million people around the world have now tried bungee jumping. Other activities which most people would say are as risky as bungee jumping include jumping from tall buildings and diving into the sea from the top of high cliffs.
Why do people take part in such activities as these? Some psychologists suggest that it is because life in modern societies has become safe and boring．Not very long ago, people’s lives were constantly in danger. They had to go out and hunt for food, diseases could not easily be cured, and there was a continuous battle for survival．
Nowadays, according to many people, life offers little excitement．They live and work in comparatively safe environments; they buy food in shops; there are doctors and hospitals to look after them if they become ill．The answer for some of these people is to look for danger in activities such as bungee jumping．
65．The best title for the text is .
A．Dangerous Sports: What and Why
B．The Boredom of Modern Life
C．Bungee Jumping: Is It Really Dangerous.
D．The Need for Excitement
66．More and more people today .
A．are tying activities such as bungee jumping
B．are climbing the highest mountains
C．are coming close to death in sports
D．are looking for adventures such as traveling into unknown places
67．The writer of the text has a attitude towards dangerous sports.
A．positive B．negative C．neutral（中立的） D．nervous
Annual holidays have become a luxury and are no longer a staple of family life, according to government research．
A getaway of a week or more is no longer considered essential by many families and is often beyond their reach, said the analysis of what parents and children say they really need．Fashionable clothes for the children, expensive birthday parties and lots of toys are also on the list of luxuries familie
s don’t have to have．Instead, recession-hit parents are thinking of the future, and the things they want for their children centre around learning to behave properly, good education and good health．
Their picture of what a family ought to have includes a space to eat together away from the television, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and bicycles so children can get exercise．
The breakdown of necessities and luxuries was prepared by researchers from the Department for Work and Pensions(DWP) who were trying to establish an up-to-date picture of what parents say they really need．
Their findings show how families have scaled down their expectations in the face of economic difficulties — how parents are now concentrating their attention and money firmly on the long-term interests of their children．Many believe that while it is vital for a family to do things together, day trips or weekend breaks are enough．
Spending on furniture or decorating the house was also considered luxurious, unless the state of the home was so bad it became difficult to invite visitors in.
Instead, researchers said: A family home should have an area where the family can eat together, not on their laps in front of a television．Families should be able to go on outings, overnight trips and possibly short holiday: the fact of being able to share these experiences is more important than the precise activity and its cost．It can be inferred that ______________.
| A．a week or more holiday is considered beyond many families’ reach |
| B．children hardly ever need fashionable clothes and lots of toys |
| C．what a family should have is basic things that they must have |
| D．annual holidays were once considered necessary and vital |
In the opinion of most parents, _____________.
| A．families can watch TV together in order to keep up their relationship |
| B．day trips or weekend breaks are enough for families to share experiences |
| C．their expectations should be increased in the face of economic difficulties |
| D．a week’s holiday is an essential minimum during the financial crisis |
Which of the following is TRUE of the researchers from the DWP?
| A．They confirm many families still need at least a week away on holiday each year. |
| B．They learn it is insignificant for a family to do things with each other regularly. |
| C．They want to know what parents really need in the face of economic difficulties. |
| D．They found spending on furniture or decorating the house was thought valuable. |
We can conclude from the last paragraph____________.
| A．being able to share experiences is important for families |
| B．a family needs at least a week away on holiday each year |
| C．a family home should have a comfortable area to watch TV |
| D．going on outings and overnight trips is wasting time for families |
What does the author mainly discuss in the text?
| A．Cycling is very important for children’s health. |
| B．Family holidays once a year have become a luxury. |
| C．It is vital for parents to eat together with children. |
| D．Parents are concerned with children’s future. |
Imagine a world 400 years a
go where children were used as chimney sweeps．The pay was low, it was a dirty trade and there was little reward for the men who did the job and even less for children.
Medway’s annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their traditional holiday: the one time of the year the sweeps could leave the soot（烟灰） behind and have some fun．The sweeps’ holiday was traditionally held on 1 May each year．Locally, they used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the streets of Rochester.
Their fun continued with the Jack-in-the-Green ceremony, a seven-foot character that they used to waken at dawn on Blue Bell Hill, Chatham．The Jack-in-the-Green would walk with the chimney sweeps in their parade．When the Climbing Boys’ Act 1868 made it illegal to employ young boys to carry out the trade, the traditional procession gradually began to fade．The final May celebration was held in the early 1900s.
The 
modern day Rochester Sweeps Festival is a colorful mix of music, dancing and entertainment with more than 60 Morris sides and entertainers celebrating throughout the three-day festival．The festival was revived in 1981 by local businessman Gordon Newton, a keen historian．He decided it was time to bring it back and over the years he has helped develop the festival into what it is today—an excellent performance of traditional Britain.
Gordon researched the Sweeps’ tradition and organized a small parade, involving local Morris teams．In time, Medway Council took over organization of the festival but Gordon remained actively involved．Today he is festival producer and plays melodeon（簧风琴） for several Morris teams．Doug Hudson is the festival’s music director, a role he has held for many years．Through Gordon’s vision and hard work, Doug’s musical ability and the council’s help, the Rochester Sweeps Festival has become the largest May Day celebration of its kind in the country.According to the writer, chimney sweeps ____________.
| A．were highly respected | B．were well rewarded |
| C．led a hard life in the past | D．worked in good conditions |
Medway’s Sweeps Festival ____________.
| A．has been organized by the Jack-in-the-Green |
| B．dated back to the May celebration in the early 1900s |
| C．is held to honor those chimney sweeps every other year |
| D．has become a time for chimney sweeps to enjoy themselves |
The underlined word “revive” in the 4th paragraph most probably means ___________.
| A．realize | B．review | C．recreate | D．recognize |
It can be inferred from the passage that ____________.
| A．the festival has never been supported by the local government |
| B．The festival is a good way to see British folk customs in action |
| C．youngsters has been forbidden to be chimney sweeps since 1981 |
| D．the modern festival lasts five days celebrating the coming of spring |
What is the passage mainly concerned about?
| A．Sweeps Festival history | B．Medway’s traditional holidays |
| C．Climbing Boys’ Act 1868 | D．a procession in Rochester |
