BUKHANNON, West Virginia—Two rescue teams slowly moved along a two-mile path on Monday night to the site of a coal mine explosion that trapped 13 miners, who had not been heard from since the early morning accident.
Meanwhile, at a nearby church, more than 250 family members and friends gathered, waiting for updates（最新报道）on the rescuers’ progress.
The miners were trapped at about 6:30 and many families weren’t informed of the accident until about 10 a.m-more than three hours after it happened. “It’s very upsetting, but you’ve got to be patient, I guess,” said John Helms, whose brother, Terry, was trapped in the mine.
The trapped miners were about 260 feet underground and about 10,000 feet from the Sago Mine’s entrance, said Roger Nicholson, general counsel from International Coal Group.
At a late night news conference, Nicholson said one team had advanced about 4, 800 feet in the four hours since entering the mine just before 6 p.m. Another team entered the mine about 30 minutes later.
He said the crew was very experienced, with some members having worked underground for
30 to 35 years. The miners were equipped with about one hour of breathable oxygen each. The company has not released the names of the miners.
The teams test the air about every 500 feet, and have to disconnect (remove) the power to the phones they use to communicate with the surface before doing that. “ We don’t want to be energizing anything if it’s in an atmosphere with burnable gases,” Kips said.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. High levels of carbon monoxide were discovered shortly after the explosion, which delayed rescue efforts, but those levels have since subsided（减退）, authorities said.According to the passage, we can infer that ________.
| A．all the miners who were trapped underground were still alive |
| B．communication with the trapped miners was cut off |
| C．the two rescue teams entered the mine at the same time |
| D．the rescue started as soon as the accident happened |
If the first team advanced at an average speed, they could dig about _______ per hour.
| A．1,000 feet | B．2,400 feet | C．1,200feet | D．4,800feet |
Where can the passage be seen?
| A．In a magazine. | B．In a newspaper. | C．In a science book.. | D．On an advertisement. |
Which of the following shows the position where the miners were trapped?
NEW YORK— Picking a Christmas tree takes most people a few minutes, or a couple of hours if they head for the woods. Dave Murbach needs 11 months.
Almost every day of every year, Murbach’s thoughts turn to vision of a perfectly shaped evergreen tree that will take everyone's breath away.
Murbach is the man responsible for finding the towering tree that makes more attractive Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.
“I'm always looking for a tree,” the center's chief gardener says. “I look for it even when I go to the beach in the summer. It' s like a homework assignment hanging over your head.”
And if he gets it wrong, there's nothing hiding it.
“Every day it's up, 400,000 people go by, and 2.5 million people watch the lighting celebration on television,”he says.
This year’s tree, a 74-foot Nomy spruce (云杉) from Richfield, Ohio, flown to New York on the world's largest cargo plane, was lighted on December 2.
The arrival of the tree leads in the Christmas season in New York — a tradition dating back to 1931, when the workers building Rockefeller Center put up a small tree with ornaments (装饰品).
The search for the next year's tree starts soon after the old tree is chopped up for wood chips and horse-jumping logs.
Murbach has three standards: The tree must be at least 65 feet high, at least 35 feet across and leaves dense (密集的) enough not to see through.
That's not as simple as it sounds. Though forests are full of evergreens, few get enough sunlight or space to fill out. And branches in snow regions often break under the weight, making trees unbalanced.
Back at the office, he sorts through hundreds of letters from people offering their trees, many addressed simply to “Mr. Christmas Tree Man.”
Though there was occasional anxiety attack and sleepless night, Murbach knows the effect the tree has on people: “It's for bringing people together, attempting to bring together people you love. That's what I hope it sets off.” But Murbach says he's always too worn out to celebrate Christmas. Which is the correct order of the events in the passage?
a. Murbach’s thoughts turn to a perfectly shaped tree.
b. 2.5 million people watch the Christmas tree.
c. The tree is flown to New York.
d. It was lighted on December 2.
e. The tree is chopped up.
f. Murbach searches for the tree.
| A．a, b, c, d, e, f | B．c, d, b, f, e, a |
| C．c, d, e, b, a, f | D．a, f, c, d, b, e |
Murbach spends a lot of time that are exhibited in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center each Christmas season.
| A．taking care of Christmas trees |
| B．deciding on the perfect evergreens |
| C．sorting the letters from people |
| D．deciding the TV programs |
Why does Murbach take his job seriously?
| A．Because he wants everyone to be happy with his choice. |
| B．Because he hopes to make everybody unable to breathe. |
| C．Because he enjoys showing off. |
| D．Because he wishes to attract people's attention to himself. |
According to Murbach' s standard of trees, the best tree must_______ .
| A．be evergreen |
| B．have lots of space between their branches |
| C．be tall enough not to see through |
| D．be equally balanced |
What kind of person do you think Murbach is?
| A．A person always ignoring his family. |
| B．A person full of love. |
| C．A person devoted to his work. |
| D．A person with great anxiety. |
As a boy growing up in India, I had longed to travel abroad. I used to listen to the stories my father would tell me about his stay in Canada and tours to Europe in the 1970s, with great interest.
My big moment finally came in the summer of 1998 when I was able to accompany my parents to Europe, where my father was to attend a meeting. We planned to travel to Belgium, Netherlands and West Germany.
I have clear memories even today of going to Mumbai airport at night all excited about finally going abroad. I had heard several great things about Lufthansa till then but now I finally got to experience them first hand, during the flight to Frankfurt. We flew business class and even today I can remember the excellent service by the Lufthansa crew （工作人员）. The flight was really smooth and thoroughly enjoyable, even for someone like me, who is especially afraid of flying.
After spending almost two weeks in Europe, we took the Lufthansa airport express from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt airport, for our return flight. What a journey that was! All along the Rhine (莱茵河), it was simply an unforgettable experience. I had a sombre feeling on the flight back to Mumbai as it marked the end of a wonderful vacation, but the Lufthansa crew members were able to change it into a most enjoyable experience yet again, with the quality of their service.
Being the first airline to take me abroad, Lufthansa will always hold a special place in my heart. Even today，I continue to enjoy flights on Lufthansa and simply cannot dream of choosing any other airline. Flying, in general，for me，has always been a terrible and painful experience．Flying on Lufthansa，however, is something I always have and always will look forward to. Which country does the author live in now?
| A．India. | B．Canada. | C．Belgium. | D．Germany. |
What made the author so interested in traveling abroad?
| A．Growing up in India. |
| B．Once staying in Canada. |
| C．Once traveling to Canada with his father. |
| D．His father's stories about his traveling experiences. |
Which of the following is true about the author's trip to Europe in 1998?
| A．The author traveled with one of his parents. |
| B．Both their going and return were by air. |
| C．They traveled in spring that year. |
| D．They stayed in Europe for nearly two months. |
It can be inferred from the passage that Lufthansa is ________.
| A．a city in India | B．a city in Europe |
| C．an airline company | D．a travel agency |
The underlined word “somber” in the 4th paragraph probably means “________”.
| A．happy | B．sad | C．angry | D．enjoyable |
The USA is a land of immigrants. Between 1815 and 1914, the world witnessed the greatest peaceful migration in its history: 35 million people, mostly Europeans, left their homelands to start new lives in America. Why did these people risk everything by leaving their homes and families?
First, what forced emigrants to make the decision to leave? One major cause for European farmers to leave was the rise in population which in turn led to land hunger. Another was politics. There was an increased taxation（税收） and the growth of armies, and many young men fled eastern Europe to avoid being forced to join the army.
Physical hunger provided another pressing reason. Following the collapse （衰退）of the economy of southern Italy in the 1860s, hundreds of thousands decided to start a new life in America. Religion also encouraged millions to leave the Old World.
In short, people chose to leave their homes for social, economic and religious reasons. As a result, by 1890 among a total population of 63 million, there were more than nine million foreign-born Americans.
But what were the attractions? First of all, there was the promise of land which was so scarce in Europe. Next, factories were calling for workers, and pay conditions were much better than back home. Men were needed to open up the West and build the long railroads, and new towns needed settlers to live in and to develop business. There was the space for religious people to practice their faith in peace.
This immigration meant that by around the 1850s Americans of non-English had started to be more than those of English. As we know, there were losers. To start with, there were those unwilling immigrants, the slaves who had been used as a source of cheap labour. Nor should we forget the equally unlucky American Indians. By 1860 there were 27 million free whites, four million slaves and a mere 488,000 free blacks.
Nowadays, the USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. As always, it remains an attractive place to those who think it will offer them a second chance.What is not the cause for people to leave their homeland?
| A．The search for religious freedom. |
| B．The search for adventure. |
| C．Unwillingness to join the army. |
| D．Economics. |
Why was life of the 19th Century European farmers difficult?
| A．There was no land. |
| B．There was no peace. |
| C．The population had gone down. |
| D．There were too many of them. |
Which of the following was not an attraction of the USA?
| A．Employment | B．A healthy life |
| C．freedom of religion | D．Business opportunities |
What is the topic of this passage?
| A．The USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. |
| B．The USA is a land of immigrants. |
| C．Religion encouraged millions to leave the Old World. |
| D．About one-eighth of non-native born Americans live in the USA in 1890. |
The American Indians __________.
| A．were as fortunate as the slaves |
| B．were more unfortunate than the slaves |
| C．were the most unfortunate |
| D．were as unfortunate as the slaves |
Some scientists say that animals in the oceans are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings.
The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
Decibels (分贝) measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decibel level of one hundred and ninety－five would have the same effect.
Some scientists have suggested setting a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in the oceans. They have observed that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales（鲸鱼）.
A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that louder noises can seriously injure some animals.
The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing. This seriously affected the whales' ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected(被感染的).
Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds are against a limit of one hundred and twenty decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists don’t think that noise is a greater danger than they believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean. According to the passage, which of the following is increasingly dangerous to sea creatures?
| A．The sound of cars. |
| B．The sound of voices. |
| C．Man-made noise pollution. |
| D．The sound of steps. |
According to the passage, natural sounds include all of the following EXCEPT________.
| A．sounds made by animals themselves | B．ocean drilling |
| C．underwater earthquakes | D．the breaking of ice fields |
Which of the following is discussed in the third paragraph?
| A．The same noise level produces a different effect on land and in the ocean. |
| B．Different places may have different types of noises. |
| C．The decibel is not a right unit (单位) for measuring underwater noise. |
| D．Different ocean animals may have different reactions to noises. |
Which of the following is true of whales?
| A．They won't be confused by noises. |
| B．They are deaf to noises. |
| C．Their ability to reproduce will be lowered by high-level noises. |
| D．Their hearing will be damaged by high-level noises. |
According to the passage, what will scientists most probably do in the future?
| A．They will work hard to reduce ocean noise pollution. |
| B．They will protect animals from harmful noises. |
| C．They will try to set a limit of 120 decibels. |
| D．They will study the effect of ocean noise pollution. |
I was brought up in the British, stiff upper lip style. Strong feelings aren’t something you display in public. So, you can imagine that I was unprepared for the outpouring of public grief(悲伤) at a Chinese funeral.
My editorial team leader died recently after a short illness. He was 31. The news was so unexpected that it left us all shocked and upset. A female colleague burst into tears and cried piteously at her desk. Somehow we got through the day's work. The next day was the funeral.
Our big boss stepped forward to deliver a eulogy and was soon in tears. She carried on, in Chinese of course, but at the end said in English: "There will be no more deadlines for you in heaven." Next came a long-term colleague who also dissolved in tears but carried on with her speech despite being almost overcome by emotion. Then a close friend of the dead man paid tribute(哀悼), weeping openly as he spoke. Sorrow is spreading. Me and women were now sobbing uncontrollably. Finally, the man's mother, supported between two women, addressed her son in his coffin. At one point, the mother almost collapsed and had to be held up. We were invited to step forward to each lay a white rose on the casket. Our dead colleague looked as if he was taking a nap. At the end of the service I walked away from the funeral parlor stunned at the outpouring of emotion.
In the UK, families grieve privately and then try to hold it together and not break down at a funeral. Here in China it would seem that grieving is a public affair. It strikes me that it is more cathartic to cry your eyes out than try to keep it bottled up for fear of embarrassment, which is what many of us do in the West.
Afterwards, a Chinese colleague told me that the lamenting at the funeral had been restrained(克制) by Chinese standards. In some rural areas, she said, people used to be paid to mourn noisily. This struck me like something out of novel by Charles Dickens. But we have all seen on TV scenes of grief-stricken people in Gaza and the West Bank, in Afghanistan, Iraq and the relatives of victims of terrorist bombings around the world. Chinese grief is no different. I realized that it's the reserved British way of mourning that is out of step with the rest of the world.
It was our newspaper's production day. We were bussed back to the office to resume work. No more deadlines for our former colleague, but we had to pull together to put the newspaper to print. The boss invited the team to go out for dinner after work. We relaxed, smiled, joked. There was no mention of the funeral or our poor colleague. Enough sorrow had been shed already. We needed a break.The underlined words “stiff upper lip style” mean “”.
| A．cold-blooded | B．warm-hearted |
| C．self-controlled | D．light-hearted |
At the funeral, .
| A．five individuals made speeches |
| B．the boss’s speech was best thought of |
| C．everyone was crying out loudly |
| D．the writer was astonished by the scene |
According to the writer, people in the West.
| A．are not willing to be sad for the dead |
| B．prefer to control their sadness in public |
| C．cry their eyes out at the public funeral |
| D．have better way to express sadness |
It is implied that .
| A．the English might cry noisily for the dead in Dickens’ time |
| B．Chinese express their sadness quite unlike other peoples |
| C．victims of terrorist bombings should be greatly honored |
| D．English funeral culture is more civilized than the others |
This passage talks mainly about .
| A．an editor’s death | B．bad funeral customs |
| C．western ways of grief | D．cultural differences |