Though I have traveled in hundreds of trains, few unusual things have ever happened to me. But one day in a train something did happen. I do not mean that I was hurt: no one was hurt.
I do my work in a hot country far away from England. Every September I go there to do my business, and every July I come back to England to have a rest. So every September I go to Paris and take a train from the great French city to Mendova, and at Mendova I catch my ship.
There is one very fast train from Paris to Mendova, and it suits me well. It goes as far as Endoran, but it stops at Mendova for a few minutes to let travelers get out or in. It is called The Flying Bluebird. It reaches Mendova at seven minutes past nine in the morning, and it is never late.
A ship leaves Mendova at half past eleven, and so you will understand that The Flying Bluebird suits me very well. I always travel by it, and I have nearly two and a half hours at Mendova to go from the station to the ship. That is more than enough time.
Well, one September night, I took my place in The Flying Bluebird as usual. The train leaves Paris at nine o’clock every night, and I was in my place soon after half past eight. There were three or four people there with me, but very soon a lot of others got into the train. When no more people could sit down, they began to stand up near us and also in the corridor（走廊）. In a short time the corridor was full too, and it was impossible for any more travelers to get into the train.
I could see a lot of other people outside the corridor windows, but they could not get in, and the train left Paris without them. The man sitting next to me started to ask all kinds of questions: “Where do you work? How long does it take you to get there? Are you married? How many children do you have? How much money do they pay you every year? How much do you have in the bank? How much do you spend every month?”
He asked questions for about twenty minutes but I did not give him any clear answers, and at last he stopped and began to read the paper.
I usually sleep quite well in the train, but this time I slept only a little. There were too many people, and there were too many things: small bags, large bags, coats, hats, boxes, newspapers and food. As usual, we got angry about the window. Most people wanted it shut, and two of us wanted it open. But that always happens. It was shut all night, as usual.
When I awoke in the early morning I felt hot and dirty, and glad that the journey was reaching its end. At seven minutes past nine The Flying Bluebird stopped. We were at Mendova, and I stood up thankfully. I took my two suitcases, held one in each hand, and tried to move towards the door into the corridor. In order to get out of the train, I had to pass down the corridor to the door at the far end. There was no other way out.
I could not even into the corridor. There was a suitcase on the floor by my feet, and three men were standing in my way. I felt a touch of fear. I had to get out, you see; I had to catch my ship, which left at half past eleven. And the train did not stop again until it reached Endoran, two hundred miles away.
“I must get out!” I cried. Everyone there understood me, but no one could move.
At last I was able to put one foot over the suitcase on the floor, and I nearly reached the door into the corridor. But then, very slowly, the train began to move. It was taking me away!
“Stop!” I cried. “I want to get out!” But no one outside the train could hear me, and the people inside did not care much. The train moved a little faster. What could I do? I was not even in the corridor.
Fear made me think quickly. In front of my eyes, just, above the door, was a notice that told everyone how to stop the train. I had to pull an iron thing near the notice. I did not waste time. I pulled it.
Well, a noise started above our heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. It was not a small sound. Possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. Then the train stopped.
No one likes to stop a train if there is no need. But I had to catch my ship. That was the only thought in my mind: to get out and catch my ship. The purpose of the author writing the first paragraph is to __________.
| A．answer some questions | B．express some unusual feelings |
| C．arouse the readers’ curiosity | D．give some advice in advance |
What do we know about the author and the man sitting next to him?
| A．They talked with each other all night |
| B．They got angry about the window |
| C．The author didn’t understand the man’s words |
| D．The author didn’t like the man’s foolish questions |
On this journey on The Flying Bluebird, the author felt uncomfortable because ___________.
| A．he couldn’t find a seat by the window |
| B．he was angry with the man sitting next to him |
| C．there were too many people on the train |
| D．the window was kept shut all night |
It can be learned from Para. 10 that the author was afraid that ____________.
| A．he would have to spend another sleepless night on the train |
| B．he would miss the ship that went where he worked |
| C．more people might crowd into the train |
| D．he would have to buy another ticket |
The noise in the underlined sentence “a noise started above our heads”（Para.15）was made by __________.
| A．the angry passengers shouting at the top of their voices |
| B．the ship that was lying two miles away |
| C．the falling of boxes and suitcases to the floor |
| D．the train itself telling people that something was wrong |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．A Bad Experience on the Train | B．A Train that Is Never Late |
| C．A Quick and Wise Decision | D．A Journey to Mendova |
The new iPhone 3G should please everyone . Its look and feel are only slightly improved, but a faster network loads Web pages more quickly , true GPS functionality allows it to easily find places nearby , and the new $199 price(down from $400) makes it an affordable luxury.
Before deciding whether to buy, however , make sure you can actually take advantage of the iPhone 3G’s high-speed data network. 3G stands for third-generation , which in non-geek speak translates to Web pages and mail messages that, ideally, load about three times faster than on the original iPhone. Even better, 3G coverage enables you to make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time . That’s great, if you live or work in a place where the 3G network of AT&T(美国电话电报公司)(the sole wireless carrier of the iPhone) is active. That’s not so great in cities like New York where AT&T’s cellular(电台通讯网) coverage is awful. As one of my colleagues in New York City, who bought the original iPhone , commented , “It’s just a toy . You can’t make phone calls on it, so I carry my Verizon phone with me all the time.”
The real fun begins when you tap on the icon(计算机图标)called “Apple Store” and start browsing (浏览) the hundreds of add-on applications that have been developed just for the iPhone. You will find tons of games (I like JirboBreak , a free game inspired by the Atari classic Breakout ) and mobile version of popular websites like Pandora , Facebook , MySpace and the New York Times . Most apps will cost you , but the vast majority are $9.99 or less. The apps work on the old iPhone too, but you’ll enjoy them a lot more on the iPhone 3G because many of the programs , including Yelp(local business reviews ), Whrrl (mobile social networking) and UrbanSpoon(restaurant reviews), use you exact location --- provided by the iPhone 3G’s GPS chip --- to make recommendations. The apps also load much faster over the 3G network.. The new iPhone 3G has following features except that _____.
| A．it looks and feels better |
| B．it has a faster network |
| C．it is easy to locate a place |
| D．it is too expensive for people to buy |
.Why does one of my colleagues carry Verizon phone with him all the time?
| A．Because iPhone 3G is just a toy. |
| B．Because he prefers Verizon phone better . |
| C．Because AT&T’s cellular coverage is terrible there. |
| D．Because Verizon phone enables him make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time. |
. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage ?
| A．App Store will offer you great fun . |
| B．Many apps have been developed for the iPhone. |
| C．Most apps are very expensive. |
| D．Pandora , Facebook, MySpace and the New York Times are popular websites. |
. From the passage we know that the attitude of the author toward iPhone 3G is ____.
| A．doubtful | B．appreciate | C．optimistic | D．pessimistic |
Each Indian（印第安人）was supposed to keep his birth name until he was old enough to earn one for himself．But his playmates（游戏伙伴）would always give him a name of their own．No matter what his parents called him, his childhood friends would use the name they had chosen．Often it was not pleasing, such as Bow Legs or Bad Boy．But sometimes a name fit so well that the youngster found it difficult to shake it off．If he could not earn a better one from a war later, he could be stuck with a name like Bow Legs for the rest of his life.
The Indian earned his real name when he was old enough for his first fight against the enemy．His life name depended on how he acted during this first battle．When he returned from the war, the whole tribe would gather and observe the ceremony in which he would be given his name by the chief．If he had done well, he would get a good name．Otherwise he might be called Crazy Wolf or Man-Afraid-Of-a-Horse．So an Indian’s name told his record or described the kind of man he was.
A man was given many chances to improve his name, however．If in a later battle he was brave in fighting against the enemy, he was given a better name．Some of our great fighters had as many as twelve names—all good and each better than the last.
An Indian’s names belonged to him for the rest of his life．No one else could use them．Even he himself could not give them away because names were assigned by the tribe, not the family．So no man could pass on his name unless the chief and the tribe asked him to do so.
Sometimes an Indian would be asked to give his name to a son who had performed a noticeable deed．I know of only three of four times when this happened．It is the rarest honor for a person—the honor of assuming（承担） his father’s name.
An Indian could be given the second name by__________.
| A．his father | B．the enemy |
| C．the chief of the tribe | D．his childhood friends |
The greatest honor an Indian could earn was____________.
| A．a victory in his first battle against the enemy |
| B．a name given by the chief |
| C．a ceremony to get his real name |
| D．the right to use his father’s name |
If an Indian had more than ten names, it meant that____________.
| A．many people in the tribe liked him | B．he was a great fighter |
| C．he had a lot of friends | D．he had fought in fewer than ten battles |
Which of the following statements is not true according to the passage?
| A．The names given by the playmates of an Indian were usually not pleasant |
| B．The life name of an Indian was earned in battle |
| C．An Indian could throw away his birth name when he was old enough to earn one for himself. |
| D．The Indians themselves were not allowed to give their names away. |
The gray-haired lady can’t wait to leave the building to search for her dad .Unless watched ,she will walk in the streets in an effort to find her father ,who died 30 years ago.
Not all cases of Alzheimer’s disease look like this ,but Alzheimer’s is a serious disease that is said to be the fourth or fifth leading cause of death for people over age 75.
It is said that about three percent of the U.S. population over age 65 have Alzheimer’s .In the early stages ,people may exhibit short term memory loss. Some may experience changes in personality , easy to be angry .As the disease progresses ,patients might lose the ability to move and may be unable to speak or move at all. This progressive disease generally lasts 8 to 10 years before death occurs.
While no one is certain what causes these changes in the brain’s nerve fibers （神经纤维）,their effect is certain .Alzheimer’s destroys not only the patients ,but also spouses（配偶）,friends and families.
What should you do if you notice progressive memory loss in yourself or a loved one? Have the person examined by a doctor who is a specialist in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Though many reasons other than Alzheimer’s disease may cause memory loss ,its
early diagnosis（诊断）and treatment may delay some of the most serious effects.
What feeling will you likely experience should a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’ s disease? A person will often go through the various stages of sadness, shock ,anger ,and so on. If the spouse develops the disease ,you may experience hurt and disappointment when he or she doesn’t remember you are married.
Life for the Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones will never be the same as the disease progresses ,bringing a deep sorrow ,loss and even anger towards God .No matter what feelings are present ,facing them honestly will serve one better than burying them.
What can be inferred from the passage about the gray-haired day?
| A．She has been living with her father. |
| B．She was sad about the death of her father. |
| C．She can’t search for her father without being watched. |
| D．She suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. |
．When people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease , ________.
| A．their families and friends will suffer from the same disease |
| B．their families and friends will experience mental sufferings |
| C．they will certainly die in 8 to 10 years |
| D．they will forget everybody but their spouses |
．Memory loss occurs ________.
| A．from Alzheimer’s disease and nothing else |
| B．from sadness ,shock ,anger ,and so on |
| C．for a number of reasons |
| D．with changes in personality |
As we all know，it was Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of Independence (独立宣言)．He wrote it in two weeks，and after a few changes，it was accepted by the Congress．As a result，he became famous in America's history．
Born in Virginia，Thomas Jefferson，a brilliant student at school and almost talented lawyer later，was much interested in politics.
Jefferson was elected Governor of Virginia in 1779，and he was sent to France as the Representative of the American Government in 1784．Sixteen years later，at the age of 57，he was elected president after Washington and Adams．
Far from a handsome man，he was is tall with long arms and big hands．Jefferson，who was an amusing talker in conversation，but a poor speaker，was generally good-natured．
Jefferson was regarded as a defender(捍卫者)of freedom Of America．As a president，he protected the right of speech．Interestingly enough，in his eight years as president，：Jefferson never said “No” to a bill(议案)which the Congress had passed．He did a lot in organizing the new University of Virginia．
Thomas Jefferson died on July the fourth，1826，the fiftieth anniversary of America’s independence．
We are most likely to read this passage in ．
| A．a daily newspaper | B．a popular advertisement |
| C．a hi story book | D．an important notice |
Which of the following statements about Jefferson’s personality is true?
| A．He was a shy and slow learner when he was at school． |
| B．He was not an easy person to get along with at all |
| C．He was not only very talented but also very handsome． |
| D．He was an amusing talker，but not good at speaking in public． |
Jefferson’s greatest contribution in America’history is that ．
| A．he was for the right of free speech |
| B．he was sent to France as the Representative |
| C． he wrote the Declaration of Independence |
| D．he organized the new University of Virginia |
Thomas Jefferson was elected president of the United States in the year of.
| A．1779 | B．1784 | C．1800 | D．1826 |
With only about 1, 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone the animal and save the endangered species(物种). That’s a move similar to what a Texas A & M University researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called “Noah’s Ark”.
Noah’s Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos(胚胎), semen and DNA of endangered animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen. If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A & M’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future.
It is estimated that as many as 2, 000 species of mammals, birds reptiles will become extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years.
This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal.
The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete.
“The nuclear transfer(核子移植) of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available(capable of being used) panda eggs could be a major problem,” Kraemer believes. “They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it’s difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort,” adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A& M, the first-ever attempt at cloning a dog.
“They are trying to do something that’s never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah’s Ark. We’re both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there’s a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It’s a research that is very much needed.”
The aim of “Noah’s Ark” project is to _______.
| A．make efforts to clone the endangered pandas |
| B．save endangered animals from dying out |
| C．collect DNA of endangered animals to study |
| D．transfer the nuclear of one animal to another |
According to Professor Kraemer, the major problem in cloning pandas would be the lack of _______.
| A．available panda eggs | B．host animals | C．qualified researchers | D．enough money |
The best title for the passage may be _______.
| A．China’s Success in Pandas Cloning |
| B．The First Cloned Panda in the World |
| C．Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas |
| D．China —the Native Place of Pandas Forever |
From the passage we know that _______.
| A．Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog |
| B．scientists try to implant a panda’s egg into a rabbit |
| C．Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches |
| D．about two thousand of species will probably die out in a century |