One summer my friend and I decided to go to Italy for a holiday and we decided to travel there without going through a travel agency. You know, you would be submerged (淹没) in crowds of tourists and lose lots of opportunities to get familiar with the country more closely. We started to think over our trip and managed to come up with a f
ree tour of Italy.
The trip was not very long but it was still very impressive. We look forward to going there again! Of course, we spent lots of time arranging the trip, but it was well worth it! Of course I was afraid that something would go wrong and I was especially anxious about my visa, but everything went quite smoothly in the end.
The most difficult part was getting a visa without an invitation. In the Italian consulate(领事馆), one must hand in some official paper proving that one has a hotel booked for oneself in order to get the visa. Then we had to solve the ticket problem. Airlines often sell cheap tickets a
nd we bought ours far in advance. The next step was to book a hotel. We finally booked a hotel about thirty km away from the heart of Rome and it was the perfect choice for our trip.
Every day we took a train that carried us to the heart of Rome. Our big house, which was surrounded by the forest, was a rare girl for the fresh air and absolute silence, beautiful views, hospitable (好客的) hosts, comfortable living conditions delighted us to no end. Besides this, we were very lucky that our mistress was Russian. She gave us a lot of advice that was of great use. She told us what transport to choose and where the best places to go.
Don’t
be afraid to arrange your trip by yourself. It’s not difficult! The only thing I'll say right now is that we really enjoyed traveling by ourselves. We walked with a map and a guide-book to wherever we wanted and we even met some of our fellow countrymen on the way just two or three times. So, if you're also planning a "single" trip, don't forget to take a Russian-Italian phrasebook as people in Italy prefer to speak in their native tongue. Why does the author want to go to Italy again?
| A．He had a great time there. |
| B．Italy has a lot of attractions. |
| C．His friend invited him there. |
| D．He didn't stay in Italy long enough. |
What does the author think was the hardest in preparing for his Italian trip?
| A．Buying cheap airline tickets to Italy before the traveling |
| B．Getting a visa without an invitation from the Italian consulate. |
| C．Booking a comfortable hotel on his own in Rome. |
| D．Solving the ticket problem far in advance. |
In the fourth paragraph the author mainly explains
| A．the reason why he chose to live in the center of Rome |
| B．the reason why the hotel he booked was the right choice |
| C．what transport they chose to travel in their Italian trip |
| D．the reason why the mistress gave them some advice |
Which of the following questions has NOT been answered in the passage?
| A．Why did the author decide to go to Italy for a holiday for the first time? |
| B．Why did the author decide not to follow a travel agency? |
| C．How did the author prepare for his trip? |
| D．What tools did the author use for his traveling? |
From the text we can know the author
A．enjoy s traveling everywhere in the world |
| B．likes being accompanied by tour guides |
| C．advises us to arrange trips by ourselves |
D．met with a lot of his countrymen  in Italy |
Global warming happens when greenhouse gases trap heat and light from the sun in the earths atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows，but it can’t get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth .The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out. As a result，the temperature rises.
Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on. Without it，the earth would be freezing，or it would be burning hot. It would be freezing at night because we would not get the sun’s heat and light .During the day, especially during the summer, it would be burning because the sun would be up with no atmosphere to filter(过滤)it，so people，plants，and animals would be exposed to all the light and heat.
Although the greenhouse effect makes the earth able to have people living on it，if there gets to be too many gases，the each can get unusually warmer, and many plants，animals．and people will die. Plants would die because they would not be able to take the heat .This would cause us to have less food to eat,and it would also limit the food that animals have. With less food for the animals that we need to survive we would even have less food. Gradually,people，plants，and animals would all die of hunger．
People are doing many things to try to stop global warming .One thing is carpooling—driving with someone to a place that you are both going to. Another thing is being more careful about leaving electrical devices turned on. Now,more people are even riding buses or bikes to lower the amount of greenhouse gases in the air .Although adults do many things to help stop global warming,kids call do just as much. By the example given in Paragraph l, the author wants to__________.
| A．explain how global warming happens. |
| B．show his feeling in a car in hot summer. |
| C．tell us cars are causes of greenhouse gases. |
| D．say that I there are greenhouse gases in every car. |
The underlined wordit in Paragraph 2 refers to__________.
| A．light | B．greenhouse effect |
| C．temperature | D．heat |
What is the effect of atmosphere?
| A．It only traps the heat of the sun. |
| B．It does great harm to humans. |
| C．It makes the earth neither too hot nor too cold. |
| D．It prevents all the light from the sun shining on the earth. |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．lf there is greenhouse effect,all the plants will die |
| B．Human beings are likely to disappear from the earth |
| C．Crops can ′t take in the heat lf there is greenhouse effect |
| D．Although greenhouse effect is necessary,too much of it will cause us to die. |
What will the author most probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
| A．What kids can do to help stop global warming. |
| B．Who should be responsible for the environmental problems. |
| C．What global warming is doing to the environment. |
| D．Why cars and buses pollute the air a lot. |
Researchers are finding new ways to save snakebite victims.Experts discussed the latest findings during a recent conference.
Scientists in Australia have shown that a chemical called nitric oxide could increase the chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite.The scientists injected rats with a deadly amount of snake venom.Then they rubbed an ointment(软膏)containing nitric oxide on the skin around the injection site.The study found that the rats lived about one-third longer than if nitric oxide had not been used.But the treatment had to be started very quickly.
Dirk van Helden led the research.He says the nitric oxide ointment also showed promise in humans.The study appeared earlier this year in the journal Nature Medicine.Scientists say the findings could help save many lives.A recent study found that poisonous snakes cause as many as ninety-four thousand deaths worldwide each year.But Ulrich Kuch of the Biodiversity and Climate Research Center in Frankfurt,Germany,says that number appears to be low.
Mr Kuch says many deaths could be prohibited if snakebite victims are treated correctly,but they often go to traditional healers or do not seek any help at all.He said,“Sometimes it’s because there is no treatment available—no antivenom(抗蛇毒血清),which is the specific(特殊的)drug to treat snakebites—or health care staff do not know how to treat snakebites,and sometimes its because transportation to get to a health facility is not available or too expensive.
Here is no single antivenom that can be used to treat all snakebites.The antivenom must be specific to the kind of snake that bit the person.In some countries the treatment is costly,while in others there is no such treatment.What is this passage mainly about?( )
| A．Snakebite deaths around the world. |
| B．Progress in fighting snakebite deaths. |
| C．Snakebite treatment around the world. |
| D．The chances of surviving a poisonous snakebite. |
After being rubbed an ointment containing nitric oxide,the rats .
| A．suffered no pain |
| B．died immediately |
| C．lived a little longer |
| D．started feeling uncomfortable |
What does Paragraph 3 suggest?( )
| A．The number of deaths caused by snakebites is becoming lower each year. |
| B．The nitric oxide ointment has saved thousands of people’s lives. |
| C．It is very important to find an effective way to treat snakebites. |
| D．The number of deaths caused by snakebites worldwide is low. |
What does the underlined word “prohibited” in Paragraph 4 mean?( )
| A．caused. | B．considered. |
| C．examined. | D．prevented. |
What is implied in the last paragraph?( )
| A．Antivenom can be made very easily. |
| B．It’s very important to use the correct antivenom to treat snakebite victims. |
| C．Antivenom is extremely expensive all over the world. |
| D．A person bitten by a snake will survive as long as there is antivenom. |
Many animals recognize their food because they see it. So do humans. When you see an apple or a piece of chocolate you know that these are things you can eat. You can also use other senses when you choose your food. You may like it because it smells good or because it tastes good. You may dislike some types of food because they do not look, smell or taste very nice. Different animals use different senses to find and choose their food. A few animals depend on only one of their senses, while most animals use more than one sense.
Although there are many different types of food, some animals spend their lives eating only one type. The giant panda eats only one particular type of bamboo. Other animals eat only one type of food even when given the choice. A kind of white butterfly will stay on the leaves of a cabbage, even though there are plenty of other vegetables in the garden. However, most animals have a more varied diet. The bear eats fruits and fish. The fox eats small animals, birds and fruits. The diet of these animals will be different depending on the season.
Humans have a very varied diet. We often eat food because we like it and not because it is good for us. In countries such as France and Britain, people eat foods with too much sugar. This makes them overweight, which is bad for their health. Eating too much red meat and animal products, such as butter, can also be bad for the health. Choosing the right food, therefore, has become an area of study in modern life.We can infer from the text that humans and animals _________.
| A．depend on one sense in choosing food |
| B．are not satisfied with their food |
| C．choose food in similar ways |
| D．eat entirely different food |
Which of the following eats only one type of food?
| A．The white butterfly. | B．The small bird. |
| C．The bear. | D．The fox. |
Certain animals change their choice of food when ___________.
| A．the season changes |
| B．the food color changes |
| C．they move to different places |
| D．they are attracted by different smells |
We can learn from the last paragraph that __________.
| A．food is chosen for a good reason |
| B．French and British food is good |
| C．some people have few choices of food |
| D．some people care little about healthy diet |
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
You probably heard those lines in grammar school, but do you really agree that harsh(严厉的) or negative words do not harm us? Words have power. Surely we all have had our feelings hurt by something someone said.
We may not say words to hurt others, but the way we interpret (解释) them and how we say them may cause great harm. Here’s an example:
An ancient king dreamed all his teeth had fallen out. He sent for a wise man to explain his dream to him: the dream means that all your relatives will die and you will be left alone! The king was very angry and threw the interpreter into prison. He then sent for another interpreter who said, “Congratulations! King! You will live many more years. In fact, you will survive all your relatives. Long Live the King!”
Both interpreters gave the same interpretation, but there was a huge difference in the way they said it.
Our speech must be understood by those who hear our words, but the way we say things and the intention behind them have as much power as the words themselves. Words can cause anger or appreciation. Which would you rather receive?
People who say harsh and negative things may not mean to harm, but have you ever known anyone who is a naysayer? They often look at the dark sides of things. They always see the glass as half empty rather than half full. How do you feel when you are around this type of person? Remember: words have power. Use them wisely.The author mentions the story of the ancient king to show that _____.
| A．one dream sometimes has different explanations |
| B．good words can bring good luck to people |
| C．people should be careful when talking to a king |
| D．different ways of saying things have different effects |
The underlined word naysayer in the last paragraph refers to a person who always _____.
| A．has a negative attitude |
| B．likes to be praised |
| C．talks big |
| D．likes to repeat what others say |
According to the text, how can people understand each other better?
| A．By sharing different life experiences |
| B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By properly using words |
| D．By recognizing different values. |
The passage mainly talks about ______.
| A．the power of words |
| B．the cruelty of the king |
| C．how to understand others |
| D．how to build good relationships |
In a book called Magnificent Obsession, by Lloyd C. Douglas, a description is given of people helping others but doing it secretly. When difficult problems worried an individual(个人), friends nearby would meet to discuss possible solution(解决方案) without the individual knowing their actions. When a solution was agreed upon, one or two of the friends would carry out the plan and solve the problem secretly, to the great delight of the worried individual. The helpers would stand by privately(私下地), content with their success. No reward was given to the problem solvers, not even a sincere “thank you”, because they were never known.
This concept is popular today but in a different way. The phrase “pay it forward” is now used when one person helps another. However, the person helped may not be able to repay the person or group that helped them. So rather than return the favor to their helpers, they are supposed to help someone else in the future, which means they pay it forward. It is a sense of responsibility which makes us want to give back in equal measure to the one who has helped us. But, in this case, the responsibility turns to helping someone in the future.
Suppose your elderly grandmother pays part of your schooling. She may tell you there is no need to repay her because it is a gift from someone who loves you very much. Nothing would please her more than to have you use her money to get a good education.
You may never be able to repay her for such a gift. However, she not only gave you some money, but she provided you with an example that you should also help other people who need it.
People with serious needs are everywhere. Many are children who need better clothes, more books and even better schools. Some are elderly people who can’t afford their medicine or a doctor’s care. Consider how you can “pay it forward” rather than pay money back to your grandmother. The helpers in the book “Magnificent Obsession” were not rewarded because ______.
| A．they hadn’t solved the problems thoroughly (彻底地) |
| B．they had solved the problems secretly |
| C．they were friends of the worried individual |
| D．they expected to be paid back in the future |
The underlined word “pay it forward” means _______.
| A．to repay someone who has helped you |
| B．to pay someone else who needs help |
| C．to help someone who has helped you |
| D．to help someone else who needs help |
What does the writer suggest with the example of “your elderly grandmother”?
| A．We should learn to respect our grandparents. |
| B．We should work hard to get a good education. |
| C．We should also lend a hand to other people in need of help. |
| D．We should never forget to repay people for their help. |
From the passage we know_______.
| A．everybody needs help |
| B．more children need help than elderly people |
| C．it costs a lot of money to “pay it forward” |
| D．nowadays many people help others without being repaid |