Washington D. C. is a great city to live in and visit – partly because D. C.’s public transportation can get you almost a
nywhere in the city, D. C.’s subway, the Metro, is great for getting you to the main tourist sites, but the bus is also a great resource and is cheaper. Learn how to conquer the D.C. bus system in a few quick steps will help you to have fun in this city.
* Things You’ll Need: cash or a D. C. Smart Trip card, a transfer (转乘卡) and a map of Washington, D. C.
* To choose a bus line to take from home or your hotel, look at the buses that arrive at the closest Metro stations.
Many bus routes start at a Metro subway terminal and make their way across the greater D.C. area.
*Learn to identify bus stops. They are usually located at the intersections(交叉) of streets. Look for a tall sign with a tall sign with the words of “Metro Bus” that is dark blue at the top, white in the middle and red at the bottom. Once you’ve found one of these signs, check the red section at the bottom of the sign. In it, you should see several number or letter combinations written
in white. Those are the bus lines that service that stop.
*Be careful of the direction buses are heading for. All buses have an electronic screen on the front, side and back of the bus that let you know which way they are headed and what line the bus is. The signs will list the last stop on the bus route. Know where your bus terminates on each end so you can get on the bus heading in the direction you want to go.
*To board the bus, you'll obviously need some sort of payment. The bus will only accept cash or a SmarTrip card. Smar－Trip card are purchasable at several Metro stations or at Metro headquarters(总部) and cost $5. You can also buy the card online at www.wmata.com.
*If you do order it online, purchase it in advance as it will take time for it to ship. Riding the bus costs $1.35 if you pay in cash and $1.25 if you pay with your SmarTrip card.
*If you pay in cash, ask for a transfer slip. This will allow you to board the bus within a two-hour time period without having to pay again. These machines are located by the escalators that take you to the waiting platforms. To enjoy a wonderful tour in Washington D. C., you won’t need .
A．a
D. C, Smart －Trip card B．a transfer
C．a map of Washington D. C D．a tall signAccording to the passage, you can identify bus stops by .
| A．looking at the buses that arrive at the closest Metro station from your hotel |
| B．checking the red section at the bottom of the sign with a “metro bus” logo |
| C．checking electronic screens on the front, side and back of the bus |
| D．checking the machines located by the escalators taking you to the platforms |
The underlined word “term
inates” probably means .
| A．stops | B．decides | C．starts | D．passes |
Where can you get a Smart－Trip card?
| A．At a platform. | B．At a post office. |
| C．At www. wmata. com | D．At a bus station. |
You are probably busy preparing for the College Entrance Examination at the moment，but do you have a plan for the three months after？Perhaps you're thinking of traveling. If so，take a look at these three destinations on The New York Times.
 Pingyao，Shanxi Province，China The town has remained traditional, banning cars within its 10metertall Ming Dynasty walls and preserving the traditional architecture of courtyard houses and 19th century bank buildings. But the city is becoming known for more than its history. Its yearly photography festival，which takes place in late summer, has attracted enthusiasts and professionals from across the globe for a decade. |
 London，The UK There is never a bad time to go to London.But this year may be better than most：the 2012 Summer Olymipic Games provide the greatest appeal to the whole world, and you'll have an unforgettable astonishing experience in London. Besides,travelers can also enjoy special art exhibitions about the Olympics. |
The Danube(多瑙河) The blue Danube threads its way through four capitals(Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade)and touches 10 countries, passing by majestic scenery, great wine regions，castles and ruins dating back centuries. What better way to see all these treasures than from the water? |
Which of the following doesn't belong to the features of Pingyao?
| A．Traditional architecture. | B．19th century bank buildings. |
| C．Various cars. | D．Photography festival. |
London of this year is more attractive than most years because________.
| A．Olympics are going on here |
| B．you can experience a completely different culture |
| C．London's National Portrait Gallery is open to the public |
| D．you can attend art exhibitions this year |
From the last paragraph,we know that the Danube________.
| A．runs through four countries |
| B．provides a good way to enjoy beautiful scenery and ancient castles and ruins. |
| C．is the most valuable river in Europe |
| D．originates in Viena, Austria |
The underlined word“majestic”is closest to ________ in meaning.
| A．magnificent | B．significant | C．sensitive | D．unattractive |
Which column do you suppose this passage belongs to?
| A．Society | B．Economy | C．Tourism | D．Entertainment |
What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in bio-technology(生物技术). With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time. Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and war. Today’s leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and aging itself, will become distant memories.
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells(细胞) are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond l20 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs ( The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.)
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.According to the passage, human death IS now mainly caused by____.
| A．diseases and aging | B．accidents and war |
| C．accidents and aging | D．heart disease and war |
In the author’s opinion, today’s most important advance in technology lies in____.
| A．medicine | B．the Internet | C．brain cells | D．human organ |
Humans may live longer in the future because_____.
| A．heart disease will be far away from us |
| B．human brains can decide the final death |
| C．the basic materials of cells will last forever |
| D．human organs can be repaired by new medicine |
We can learn from the passage that ______.
| A．human life will not last more than 120 years in the future |
| B．humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now |
| C．much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life |
| D．we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells |
What will people in 2113 mainly die of /from?
| A．Aging | B．Accidents | C．Cancer | D．Heart disease |
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 did. 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.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. |
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 |
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. |
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. |
Which one do you think is NOT TRUE according to the text?
| A．The couple will never steal bikes in revenge. |
| B．The couple will try their best to help others in trouble. |
| C．Trevor bought a new Kona immediately after someone stole his old one. |
| D．The couple got some help from several people in their area. |
People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb, you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms(体育馆). Here, people are learning on special climbing walls. The climbing wall goes straight up and has small holding places for hands and feet.
How do people climb the wall? To climb, you need special shoes and a harness(保护带) around your chest to hold you. There are ropes(绳索)tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high, and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the new piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult is to control your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall, the harness and the ropes hold you, and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.
Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body, especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb, both your mind and your body can become stronger.What can we infer from the passage?
| A．People are fairly interested in climbing nowadays. |
| B．It is impossible to build up one’s body by climbing. |
| C．People can only learn the skill of climbing outdoors. |
| D．It is always easy to see holding places in climbing. |
The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is _______.
| A．to tie ropes to your harness | B．to control your fear |
| C．to move away from the wall | D．to climb straight up |
The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means _________.
| A．settlement | B．exercise |
| C．excitement | D．tiredness |
Why does the author write this passage?
| A．To tell people where to find gyms. |
| B．To prove the basic need for climbing |
| C．To encourage people to climb mountains. |
| D．To introduce the sport of wall climbing |
Where do you suppose this text comes from?
A science bookB. A sports magazine
C. A research report D. A sports history book
Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But many years ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, people never tried skating on wheels. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making instruments. In his free time he liked to play the violin. Merlin was a man with many ideas and many dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to go to an important party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think. He wanted to find a way to make a wonderful entrance at the party. Merlin had an idea. He thought that he would attract a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skate shoes. Merlin was very proud of them. He dreamed of arriving at the party and skating into the room while playing the violin. He was sure that everyone would be very surprised.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing his violin. Everyone was really surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skating. He rolled on, playing the violin. Then, with all eyes on him, Merlin hit into a huge mirror on the wall. The mirror broke into many pieces with a very loud noise. But nobody forgot Merlin’s wonderful entrance after that.The story tells us that people began to enjoy roller-skating _______.
| A．before the year 1750 | B．before the invitation |
| C．because of Joseph Merlin | D．because it was dangerous |
People called Merlin a dreamer because ___________.
| A．he slept and dreamed a lot |
| B．he was full of different ideas |
| C．he was a talented violinist |
| D．he always made people’s dreams come true |
___________ made Merlin think of skating on wheels.
| A．Merlin’s work | B．Merlin’s violin | C．A huge mirror | D．An important party |
What was Merlin’s problem after he rolled into the room?
| A．He couldn’t stop his roller-skating. |
| B．He couldn’t attract a lot of attention. |
| C．Everyone was surprised at him. |
| D．He couldn’t play the violin while rolling. |
The text is mainly about_________.
| A．a strange man |
| B．an unusual party |
| C．how roller skating began |
| D．how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century |