It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries（食品杂货），saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity（人性）as a whole. And it has influenced（影响）us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.
1. Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A. The man’s job was bike racing. B. It was their only possession.
C. It was a nice Kona 18 speed. D. They used it for work and daily life.
2. We can infer from the text that ____________.
A. the couple worked 60 hours a week. B. people were busy before Christmas
C. the stranger brought over the bike D. life was hard for the young family.
3. How did people get to know the couple’s problem?
A. From radio broadcasts. B. From a newspaper.
C. From TV news. D. From a stranger.
4 What do the couple learn from their experience?
A. Strangers are usually of little help. B. One should take care of their bike.
C. News reports make people famous. D. An act of kindness can mean a lot.
Elena Kagan has reached a lifelong goal：becoming a Justice on the United States Supreme Court.The U．S. Senate confirmed Kagan on Thursday by a vote of 6337.She replaces Justice John Paul Stevens，who retired in June.
Kagan will take a sacred oath(誓言) to uphold the Constitution of the United States on Saturday at a swearingin ceremony.The new Justice will bring the number of women sitting on the nation’s highest court to three.Kagan joins Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor—all three New Yorkers.
Kagan is the fourth woman in history to sit on the Supreme Court.Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the first female Justice.She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and served from 1981 to 2006.
Kagan，who is 50 years old，is the second Justice appointed by President Barack Obama.(He appointed Justice Sotomayor in 2009.) Obama told reporters on Thursday that Kagan will make an “outstanding Justice who understands that her rulings affect people.” He also noted that the addition of another woman to the Supreme Court marks a sign of progress for the country.Obama and Kagan will celebrate her confirmation with a ceremony at the White House today.
Kagan has spent most of her adult life working with the law.She served in President Clinton’s administration as a legal adviser，was the head of Harvard Law School，and until her confirmation Thursday，was the U．S. Solicitor General—one of the most powerful lawyers in the federal government.Kagan was born in New York City.She grew up in an apartment on the Upper West side of Manhattan，the strongwilled，independent middle sister sandwiched between two brothers.
Kagan’s mother was a public school teacher who taught fifth and sixth grades.Her father was a lawyer.
The new Justice once wore a judge’s robe in a picture for her highschool yearbook.Now she’ll be wearing real ones as she and the other eight Justices decide some of the most important legal cases.What can we infer according to Paragraph 1?
| A．Elena Kagan has become the only female Justice of America. |
| B．It’s Kagan’s dream to be a Justice on the United States Supreme Court. |
| C．Kagan achieved this position in the election by beating John Paul Stevens. |
| D．It will take a long time for Kagan to become a Justice on the United States Supreme Court. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．To take the place of an old Justice，a Justice was elected by the Senate. |
| B．There will be four women working in the United States Supreme Court. |
| C．Kagan will take a sacred oath before taking part in the election. |
| D．No one but a New Yorker can be a Justice of the Supreme Court. |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 5?
| A．Kagan is a born lawyer. |
| B．It is about Kagan’s biography. |
| C．Kagan’s character is fit for her job. |
| D．Kagan has worked for two Presidents. |
This text must be taken from ________.
| A．a storybook |
| B．a textbook |
| C．a newspaper |
| D．a biography of famous people |
One of the most popular activities enjoyed by Americans is spending time in forests and walking along paths through the country.This activity，called hiking，has led to the creation of paths throughout the United States.
One of the longest is the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.The trail is the first completed part of the National Trails System.The trails system was established by Congress and the president in 1968.The Appalachian Trail is more than 3,400 kilometers long.It starts in the northeastern state of Maine and ends in the southeastern state of Georgia.The trail goes through 14 states.They are Maine，New Hampshire，Vermont，Massachusetts，Connecticut，New York，New Jersey，Pennsylvania，Maryland，West Virginia，Virginia，Tennessee，North Carolina，and Georgia.
The path takes walkers through the Appalachian Mountains.They extend from the Canadian province of Quebec to the southern American state of Alabama.
The Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest on Earth.They first began forming about one thousand million years ago.During the millions of years since then，the mountains were changed and reformed by the forces of water and wind.Ice also changed the mountains，making many of them smaller and digging valleys and lakes among them.Many different kinds of trees grow along the trail.And many different kinds of animals live in the forests along the trail.
Lands along the trail are protected by the federal government and by state governments.Some parts are not protected by the government directly.Instead，they are protected by legal agreements with private owners willing to permit people to walk across their property.
Walkers on the Appalachian Trail pass through some of the great valley systems of the mountains.They can look down into these beautiful valleys and see farms and forests stretching across the land for many kilometers.Farmland in the valleys is rich and productive.And some of the great events in American history took place in the valleys.For example，one of the great battles of the American Civil War was fought in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.The Appalachian Trail________.
| A．is more than four thousand three hundred kilometers long |
| B．starts in the northern state of Maine |
| C．goes through more than fourteen states |
| D．ends in the southeastern state of Georgia |
The Appalachian Mountains________.
| A．are the first completed part of the National Trails System |
| B．began forming one million years ago |
| C．were changed by natural forces like water，wind and ice |
| D．were around by valleys and rivers and famous for its scenery |
The lands along the trail________.
| A．are protected entirely by either the federal government or state governments |
| B．are mainly protected by legal agreements with private owners |
| C．can be visited by travelers freely only under the permission of owners |
| D．are protected by both the federal government and state governments |
What is mainly described in the last paragraph?
| A．The Appalachian Mountains have some great valley systems. |
| B．Farms and grasslands stretch across the valleys for many kilometers. |
| C．One of the American independence battles was fought in the Shenandoah Valley. |
| D．Lakes in the Appalachian Mountains are one of the most beautiful sights. |
Plastic is one of the most important technological discoveries of the 20th century.However，it may soon be replaced.The new development—liquid wood—can replace plastics in all branches of modern industries.
Plastic as a material enjoys the biggest demand in the modern world，but it does have a number of drawbacks.First and foremost，plastic isn’t recyclable.Secondly，it contains toxins (毒物) helping develop cancerous diseases.Finally，it’s made of oil and oil reserves aren’t endless.
The liquid wood technology is likely to replace plastic and provide mankind with new materials for many years ahead.Norbert Eisenfreich，a senior researcher at the Faunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT) in Germany，said that arboform，the new material，is made of lignin (木质素)，which can be obtained from soft tissues of wood.Once mixed with several other materials，it turns into solid and nontoxic alternative for plastics.
ICT team leader Emilia Regina InoneKauffmann said the woodworking industry separates wood into three basic components，including lignin.Lignin isn’t used for the production of paper.Specialists of ICT mixed lignin with several natural materials and thus invented the material which could be melted and molded (铸型)．
When solid，arboform looks like plastic and possesses the qualities of polished wood.It can be used for the production of any items.Arboform is already used for the production of car parts which require extra strength.In addition，liquid wood can be recycled repeatedly.The material preserved all of its qualities even if it’s reprocessed ten times.
However，the new invention doesn’t enjoy an extensive use due to the high content of sulphur (硫) in it.German researchers are sure to reduce the amount of sulphur by 90 percent very soon to make arboform usable for home needs.According to the passage，plastic________.
| A．plays a big role in the modern world |
| B．helps to protect our environment in some way |
| C．has been replaced by the newly discovered material |
| D．helps us to reduce the use of petrol |
What’s the advantage of arboform over plastics?
| A．It is easily made from natural oil. |
| B．It is more widely used in household. |
| C．It is recyclable and friendly to the environment. |
| D．It contains no poisonous materials. |
It can be concluded that German researchers will focus their future work firstly on________.
| A．the material’s extensive use |
| B．the content of sulphur in arboform |
| C．the production cost of arboform |
| D．the qualities of liquid wood |
The main purpose of the passage is to________.
| A．advertise the new material—arboform |
| B．introduce liquid wood which will replace plastic |
| C．advertise new products made of arboform |
| D．show readers how to produce arboform |
His name is James，but people call him Rocky.The name fits.He’s big，over six feet tall，and he’s tough when he needs to be.James “Rocky” Robinson lives and works in New York City’s BedfordStuyvesant district，one of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods in the United States.Yet it is here in BedStuy that he is saving lives and reviving a community.
In 1966，when Rocky was twentysix years old，his sevenyearold niece was struck by a car on the street of BedStuy.Had someone at the scene known first aid or CPR，she might have lived.But by the time she reached a hospital，she was dead.
His niece’s unnecessary death was one reason why Rocky became a paramedic (护理人员)．Working for the Emergency Medical Service of New York City，he realized that more than half the city’s emergency calls came from highcrime areas.According to Rocky，residents of crimeplagued minority neighborhoods like BedStuy sometimes had to wait as long as 26 minutes after calling 911 for an ambulance while calls in richer white communities were answered in_a_fraction_of_the_time.
Rocky decided to find out more about the problem.His research showed that the richer communities had organized their own ambulance corps (特殊部队) to improve city services because the city was overwhelmed with calls.“If that’s the key to success，”he told his friend and EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) colleague，Joe Perez，“we’ll start our own corps in BedStuy！”
In 1988，Rocky had no idea that he and Joe would be attempting to establish the first minorityrun ambulance service in the country，or just how creative he would have to be to overcome the difficulty.The pair’s first challenge was to find a location for the headquarters.They took over an abandoned building that was commonly used by drug dealers.Because there was no electricity or running water (except for the leaks in the roof)，the two men worked during daylight hours.They used a twoway radio to receive emergency calls.
Although they could make do with their new headquarters，Rocky and Joe still lacked the most important component of an ambulance service：an ambulance.An old Chevrolet (雪佛兰) got them to the scenes of accidents，fires，shootings，and stabbings.But the car didn’t always start.At times，they were forced to strap (用带捆绑) their trauma kits and oxygen tanks to their backs and run on foot to the emergencies.Everyone laughed，except the victims who were still alive when Rocky and Joe arrived.The author believes the name “Rocky” fits James because________.
| A．he is a tall and tough man |
| B．he is tall and does something big |
| C．he is living in a tough community |
| D．he leads a tough community |
James’ sevenyearold niece would have been saved if________.
| A．she had been sent to a better hospital |
| B．she had got first aid and arrived in hospital earlier |
| C．James had been at the spot |
| D．emergency calls had been available in the area |
The underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 means________.
| A．in a short time |
| B．over a long time |
| C．in the near future |
| D．from time to time |
We can infer from Paragraph 4 that________.
| A．ambulance corps were only allowed in rich white communities |
| B．James found white communities made more emergency calls |
| C．city services were not enough to meet people’s need |
| D．it was easy to establish the minorityrun ambulance service |
Scientists discovered 163 new species in Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong region last year，but all are at risk of extinction due to climate change，the WWF said in a report released Friday.
The newly discovered creatures include a birdeating frog with fangs (毒牙)，a bird that would rather walk than fly and a gecko (壁虎) whose alien appearance inspired the report’s title of “Close Encounters”，the conservation group said.
The report was released ahead of major UN talks on climate change in Bangkok next week，which are being held before a makeorbreak summit in Copenhagen this December.
“Some species will be able to adapt to climate change，and many will not，potentially resulting in massive extinction，” Stuart Chapman，director of the WWF Greater Mekong program，said in the report.“Rare and endangered species like those newly discovered are especially vulnerable (易受伤害的) because climate change will further shrink their already restricted habitats，” he said.
“The new discoveries in 2010 include 100 plants,28 fish,18 reptiles,14 amphibians,2 mammals and a bird，”the WWF report said.The area spans Cambodia，Laos，Myanmar，Thailand，Vietnam and China’s Yunnan Province.
“Among the new species is the birdeating fanged frog，which remains hidden in a protected area of Thailand despite the fact that scientists are studying there for 40 years，” the report said.
The tigerstriped pit viper was discovered accidentally on an island off the coast of Vietnam when a scientist was looking for a lizard and his son pointed out that his hand was on a rock right next to the snake’s fangs.“We caught the snake and the gecko and they both proved to be new species，” researcher Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in California was quoted as saying in the report.The leopard gecko，found on another Vietnamese island，has the coloring of a leopard and bizarre orange，catlike eyes and thin legs.
The Greater Mekong region has proved a rich area for scientists.The WWF said in December 2010 that it had found 1,068 new species there between 1997 and 2009.What is special about the newly discovered bird?
| A．It usually walks. |
| B．It likes walking and flying. |
| C．It can eat other birds. |
| D．It can eat frogs. |
Stuart Chapman believes that________.
| A．most of the newly discovered species can adapt to climate change |
| B．climate change can cause massive extinction of the newly discovered species |
| C．the newly discovered species are not so vulnerable to climate change |
| D．many species have already died out because of climate change |
When Lee Grismer discovered the tigerstriped pit viper，he probably felt________.
| A．frightened | B．disappointed |
| C．excited | D．puzzled |
What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．The Greater Mekong region is a rich area for scientists. |
| B．Many rare species remain to be discovered in the Mekong region. |
| C．Scientists have discovered many new species in the Mekong region. |
| D．Climate change threatens Mekong new species. |