You may picture firefighters holding a hose （水管） outside of a burning building，but the Golden Eagles Hotshots don't fight fires quite that way．When they go into action，you may not even see a fire truck．
The Hotshots are firefighters who battle fires in wilderness areas．But don't think you'll only find them in California．Wherever there is a national wildfire emergency，the Golden Eagles Hotshots could be there．
But these firefighters don't work the same way as those in big cities．They work where there are large numbers of trees，bushes，and grass．They climb up and down steep hills to clear brush and burnable debris （残骸）．They sometimes use water，but often fight fire with fire！
They do that by lighting what are called “backfires” ---- small，controlled fires that burn up fuel in the path of larger wildfires．That way, when the wildfire gets there, it has nothing to burn and nowhere to go，because all the burnable fuel has already gone up in smoke．
The Hotshots also clear away fuel using old-fashioned hard work．For example，they use a saw to cut away trees and heavy brush that could catch fire．
Of course there are times when the Golden Eagles Hotshots do have trucks to 
supply water to the fires．But the water is limited，and these guys have to rely on hard work more than anything
．Physical fitness is very important．They have to be strong to handle steep hills while c
arrying a 60pound pack．
Thanks to their efforts，many lives have been saved，many houses not burned，and countless trees still standing．According to the passage，why do the firefighters light “backfires”？
| A．To signal for help． | B．To remove obstacles． |
| C．To protect trees and bushes． | D．To prevent t he fire from spreading． |
What can we learn about the Golden Eagles Hotshots？
| A．They are firefighters working in big cities． |
| B．Their work requires physical strength． |
| C．They are working for free． |
| D．They usually hold a hose to put out the fires． |
All of the following can reflect that the Golden Eagles Hotshots are special EXCEPT their working ．
| A．areas | B．ways | C．achievements | D．tools |
What is the author's attitude towards the Golden Eagles Hotshots？
| A．Appreciative． | B．Doubtful． | C．Worried． | D．Critical． |
For as long as humans have lived on the earth, they have made use of various forms of communication. Generally, this expression of thoughts and feelings has been in the form of oral speech. When there is a spoken language problem, communication can be carried out through sign language, in which gestures stand for letters, words, and ideas. Tourists and people unable to hear or speak have often had to turn to this form of expression. When gestures describe words or ideas, they can often be used internationally. When used for spelling words however, where each gesture stands for a single letter, people must share the same written language.
Body language sends ideas or thoughts by certain actions, either meaningfully or not. A wink can be a way of showing that the person is only joking. A nod means agreement, while shaking the head indicates disagreement.
Other forms of language can be found in Braille (a reading system of raised dots read with the fingertips used by the blind), signal flags, Morse code, and smoke signals. Road maps and picture signs also guide and warn people. While language is the most common form of communication, other systems and techniques also express human thoughts and feelings.Which of the following ways can not be used as a form of communication?
| A．oral speech | B．sign language | C．body language | D．thought |
What does the author mainly want to say?
| A．People can communicate in many different ways. |
| B．Everybody uses only one form of communication. |
| C．Language is invaluable to foreigners. |
| D．Non-spoken communication is of little value. |
According to the text, which part of the body can be used to show you are joking?
| A．Fingers | B．Eyes | C．Head | D．Feet |
What can’t be effectively communicated by sign language when people belong to different language groups?
| A．Spelling | B．Idea | C．Whole words | D．Expressions |
How many different forms of communication are mentioned in the text?
| A．Three | B．Five | C．Six | D．Nine |
A psychologist once said,“If you’ve conquered every one of your fears, congratulations — you’re dead.”This humorous quote points to a simple truth — no one can escape fear completely.
However, fear can be a good thing. It is a natural, healthy reaction to danger. In fact, sometimes we are afraid of things that aren’t dangerous, such as public speaking, failing a test, or being rejected. These unhealthy fears can keep us from fulfilling our dreams. So how can we successfully face our fears?
First, admit what you fear and then share it with someone you trust. Perhaps you worry that others would look down on you if they know what you fear, but you might be surprised at how many other people share the same fears. Learning you are not the only one who fears something will give you self-esteem(自尊心) a push. Second, ask yourself,“What is the worst-case scenario（最坏的情况）?”This question can help you gain perspective（洞察力）.If you think about it, the worst might not be that bad, after all. Compared with the fear of losing a contest or being turned down, the regret of having missed opportunities can be even harder to bear. Even worse, you will never know what you might have accomplished. Finally, take small steps toward conquering your fears. If you fear public speaking, start by giving a small talk to a few people. If your talk doesn’t go well, try again. Each small success will increase your confidence and persistence is one of the keys to success.
You might never completely conquer your fear of certain things, but what is important is that you can bring yourself to do what you fear. True bravery is feeling afraid but doing what you have to do anyway. It’s also true that you struggle with fear and don’t let your fears stop you from getting the most out of life.This passage mainly discusses.
| A．the harm of fear to success | B．varieties of fear |
| C．ways to handle fear | D．necessity of fear |
In the writer’s opinion, what might be even worse than losing a contest?
| A．Being turned down by others. |
| B．Forgetting what to say in public speaking. |
| C．Sharing ideas with others. |
| D．Missing an opportunity. |
According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Not everything we are afraid of is dangerous. |
| B．It’s encouraged to share your fear with others. |
| C．It’s difficult to overcome some fears. |
| D．What you fear should be worse than what you think. |
It can be learned from the passage that a really courageous person.
| A．does what is necessary to do |
| B．always achieves what he or she wants |
| C．has no fear in his or her life |
| D．never loses a contest |
One day, when I went shopping with Julie, we came across something special. Waiting in a long checkout line, I thought about going to another, which had the shortest queue. There was only one guy in it, but he was in a wheelchair. Well, we stepped in behind him. At first, he seemed to be having difficulty getting his groceries onto the checking desk. But after a while, I realized that what he was actually doing was separating them into two piles.
However, doing that job was no easy task in itself. I offered to help, but he and the checkout lady had it under control. He asked my wife if she would mind putting his empty basket away. What must it be like, I wondered, to be so dependent on other people like that? The checkout operator came around and gave him his change and the items he needed to have to hand. She hung one bag of groceries over a handle at the back of his chair. I offered to get the other, bigger, bag and he said, “No. But you could do me a favour. Take that lot along to the entrance and give it to Angela.”
As I was told, I did that, leaving Julie with our shopping. Angela, as turned out, was collecting food for people who might otherwise go hungry! I hadn't even noticed her before. This guy, despite the limitations that his physical condition imposed on him, had bought more than twice as much shopping as he needed – and given the bigger bag away to help other people! He didn't let the fact that he needed help stop him from being a help. He may have been limited physically, but his heart was more than capable of overcoming all that. And it changed my idea of dependence when I realized that the help he had given was more than the help he had received.
So … what’s holding the rest of us back? From the first paragraph, we know that______.
| A．the writer was obviously a disabled person |
| B．the man in a wheelchair was a shopper |
| C．the writer and Julie jumped the queue |
| D．only three people were shopping then |
The man put the things he bought into two piles, probably because______.
| A．his shopping bags were too small to hold all the groceries |
| B．he hoped to keep the balance of his wheelchair |
| C．he intended to help the people in need |
| D．it would be easy for him to carry |
From the passage, we can learn that Angela was probably______.
| A．the disabled person’s wife |
| B．the girl at the checking desk |
| C．a hungry and homeless beggar |
| D．a kind-hearted and helpful woman |
Which of the following can best describe the man in the wheelchair?
| A．kind, energetic and determined |
| B．positive, dependent and easy-going |
| C．active, optimistic and open-minded |
| D．helpful, generous and strong-hearted |
Environmental problems are becoming more and more serious all over the world. For example, cars have made the air unhealthy for people to breathe and poisonous gas is given off by factories. Trees on the hills have been cut down and waste water is being poured continuously into rivers. Furthermore, wherever we go today, we can find rubbish carelessly disposed.
There are different kinds of pollutants, each of which comes from different sources. It is necessary to identify the source of pollution, in order to make a policy to eliminate them.
Different products, processes and activities of our industrialized world together form the major source of pollution. The forms of pollution can be mainly divided into three kinds—solid, liquid and gas.
These pollutions have greatly damaged our planet and continue to do so. In fact, pollution is threatening our existence. The whole ecological balance of the earth is changing. Massive destruction of environment has brought about negative effects and even posed a great threat to man’s existence.
We must face the situation that exists and take action to solve our environmental problems. For instance, new laws must be passed to place strict control over industrial pollution, the public must receive the education about the danger of pollution and so on.
The earth is our home and we have the duty to take care of it for ourselves and our later generation. Fortunately, more and more people have realized these problems. Measures have been taken to deal with these situations by the government. Laws have been passed to stop pollution, I hope the problems will be solved in the near future and our home will become better and better. How many examples of environmental problems are given in the first paragraph?
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．In all there are three kinds of pollution |
| B．If people continue to pollute our planet, there will be no trees. |
| C．Industrial pollution has been completely controlled. |
| D．Laws have been passed to stop pollution and protect our environment. |
The sentence “We hope that all these measures will be effective and bring back a healthy environment” can best be put at the end of paragraph _____.
| A．2 | B．3 | C．5 | D．6 |
The writer’s attitude towards the future of the earth is _____.
| A．despair | B．negative | C．optimistic | D．hopeless |
Taiwan-born American director Ang Lee's win of his second directing Oscar has sparked complex feelings among Chinese audiences, who expressed their pride due to the director's Chinese roots, but couldn't help but reflect on why the Chinese mainland has failed to deliver more outstanding films to the world .
Lee, 58, on Sunday accepted the Academy Award for best director for Life of Pi, a 3D adventure-drama film.Lee had won the top directing award in 2006 for Brokeback Mountain and the best foreign language film Oscar in 2001 for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Lee came to Hollywood's attention after directing three Chinese-language films in the early 1990s, with an emphasis on the interactions between modernity and Chinese traditions.Some Web users called Lee "a source of pride for Chinese people," and admired him for bearing the torch of Chinese culture.
However, a large number of audience members and critics from the mainland expressed their frustrations over home-made movies: Mainland filmmakers have made numerous ambitious tries for the prestigious award but never won.
Hao Jie, a young director whose 2010 film Single Man won the Special Jury Prize in the Tokyo Filmex Festival but was never screened in the mainland for it showed complex sex lives in a village.
"Due to the censorship(审查), we are prevented from the beginning of our production, which forbids our works from mirroring realities," Hao said.
While acknowledging the system's role in undermining(削弱) excellent works, Su Mu, a well-known film critic, argued that the atmosphere in the mainland's film circle is also to blame."Lee produces his works with his heart, but most mainland directors now only have money in mind."
Though having obtained approval for his second film from the film authority, Hao said cinemas have kept delaying the screening of his work."This is another factor that prevents us from progressing. Cinemas won't risk showing our film, which features no stars and is considered non-mainstream," complained Hao.What does the underlined phrase “the prestigious award” refer to?
| A．the Best Director of Oscar |
| B．any of the Oscar Awards |
| C．the Special Jury Prize |
| D．the best foreign language film Oscar |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Ang Lee’s films are always focusing on Chinese traditions. |
| B．Chinese audiences are proud of their Chinese identity in the films. |
| C．Ang Lee has won the world’s favor only by means of his three Oscars. |
| D．Ang Lee is famous for his combining modernity and Chinese traditions. |
Which of the following is NOT the factor that prevents Chinese mainland films’ progressing?
| A．Strict censorship. |
| B．A lack of wonderful directors. |
| C．The bad atmosphere in the film circle. |
| D．Cinemas’ not risking showing low-cost films. |
The best title for the passage is probably_____.
| A．Ang Lee-Pride of Chinese Movie-makers |
| B．The Future of Chinese Mainland Film-making |
| C．Bitter-sweet Feeling over Ang Lee’s Oscar Win |
| D．What Can Chinese Films Do for the Oscar Awards |