In earliest times, men considered lightning to be one of the great mysteries of nature. Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons of the gods.
In reality, lightning is a flow of electricity formed high above the earth. A single flash of lightning 1.6 kilometres long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs .
The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752. In the same year he also built the first lightning rod (避雷针). This device protects buildings from being damaged by lightning.
Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning has a voltage (电压) of more than 15 million volts (伏特). A flash of lightning between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second.
Scientists judge that there are about 2,000 million flashes of lightning per year. Lightning hits the Empire State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year. In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day.
The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car. Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under tress. Also on,e should stay out of water and away from metal fences. Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things.
With lightning, it is better to be safe than sorry.People once thought lightning came from ________.
| A．the gods | B．the earth |
| C．the sky | D．nature |
According to the passage what do you think all buildings need?
| A．Metal fences. | B．Machines. |
| C．Electricity. | D．Lightning rods |
Lightning can travel ________.
| A．as quickly as water | B．not so quickly as electricity |
| C．at very high speed | D．at very low speed |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．In the U.S about one person per day dies from lightning. |
| B．Swimming during a thunder storm is a good idea. |
| C．The Empire State Building frequently gets hit by lightning. |
| D．A closed car is the best place to be during an electrical storm. |
| WELCOME Welcome to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Windsor is one of the official residences(住所) of the Queen, who sometimes stays here. Audio tours Free audio tours are available on leaving the Admission Centre at the start of your visit. There is a descriptive audio tour for blind and poor-sighted visitors. Guided tours Visitors can explore the history of the Castle through a tour of the Precincts with an expert guide. Tours depart（出发，起程）at regular intervals（每隔一定时间/距离）throughout the day from the Courtyard and finish at the entrance to the State Apartments. Visitors with children For those visiting with children, a special family tour and various activities are offered during school holidays and at weekends. Please note that, for safety reasons, pushchairs are notpermitted in the State Apartments. However, baby carriers are available to borrow. St George's Chapel Visitors arriving at the Castle after 15:00 from march to October are advised to visit St George's Chapel first, before it closes. |
Shopping Shops offer a wide range of souvenirs designed for the Royal Collection, including books, postcards, china, jewellery, and children's toys. Please ask at the Middle Ward shop about our home delivery service（送货服务）. Refreshments Bottled water can be purchased from the Courtyard and Middle Ward shops. From April to September ice cream is also available. Visitors wishing to leave the Castle for refreshments in the town may obtain re-entry permits from the castle shops. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Apartments or St George's Chapel. Photography and mobile phones Non-commercial photography and filming are welcomed in the Castle. Photography, video recording and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments or St George's Chapel. Mobile phones must be switched off inside the State Apartments and St George's Chapel in consideration of other visitors. Security As Winter Castle is a working royal palace, visitors and their belongings should get through airport-style security checks. For safety and security reasons a one-way system operates along the visitor route. |
A visitor can apply for a free audio tour___________.
| A．in the Courtyard | B．in the State Apartments |
| C．at the Admission Center | D．at St George's Chapel |
What is specially offered to visitors with kids?
| A．A security guard | B．A pushchair | C．A free toy | D．A baby carrier |
Who can get re-entry permits?
| A．Visitors wishing to eat outside the Castle |
| B．Visitors buying gifts in the castle shops |
| C．Visitors buying water from the Courtyard |
| D．Visitors eating outside St George's Chapel |
Why are visitors required to turn off their mobile phones?
| A．To ensure the safety of others |
| B．To ensure the security of the Castle |
| C．To prevent them from disturbing others |
| D．To prevent the use of the built-in cameras |
In the last part, a "working royal palace" refers to one_____.
| A．still being constructed | B．still used by the royal family |
| C．where the Queen usually works | D．where works of art are on show |
BicycleSafety
Operation Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus (校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.
Theft Prevention Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack -- even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It's fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.
Equipment
* Brakes Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.
* Helmet A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fits
properly.
* Lights Always have a front headlight -- visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike.
A taillight is a good idea.
Rules of the Road
Riding on Campus As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15 mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of ways to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.
Bicycle Parking Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such posts can result in a fine.
If Things Go Wrong
If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:
* No bicycle registration --------------------------$25
* Bicycle parking banned ---------------------------$30
* Blocking path with bicycle ----------------------$40
* Violation of bicycle equipment requirement ------$35Registration of your bicycle may help you ________.
| A．find your stolen bicycle | B．get your serial number |
| C．receive free repair services | D．settle conflicts with walkers |
According to the passage, what bike equipment is a free choice for bicycle riders?
| A．Brakes. | B．A helmet. | C．A headlight. | D．A taillight. |
When you ride a bicycle on the campus, ________.
| A．ride on posted bicycle paths and sidewalks |
| B．cycle at a speed of over 15 mph |
| C．put the walkers' right of way first |
| D．call the police before leaving in case of accident |
If you lock your bicycle to a tree on the campus, you could be fined _________.
| A．$25 | B．$30 | C．$35 | D．$40 |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A guide for safe bicycling on campus. |
| B．Directions for bicycle tour on campus. |
| C．Regulations of bicycle race on campus. |
| D．Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus. |
It is true that people with better education are usually able to get better paying jobs. In other words, they have more chances to choose a good job while people with little or no education don’t. It seems that the purpose of education is to make people get jobs. But this isn’t accepted by all people.
Some people may think that a person should spend the best years of his life to get education only for a way of living. This was probably one of the earliest reasons of education. In fact, if education is just a way of making a living, people don’t need to spend so much time in school. People can get education for a living in a short time. Subjects like history and geography need not be taught to everyone. Even language and mathematics need not be taught in detail(详细地), either. Here it is clear that education is much more than teaching a man to get a way of living.
Education is well-rounded and it is mainly for improving a man. It is not only to teach him to speak, read and write, but also to develop his creative thinking and other abilities. After that, it is to make him a wise man and thankfully enjoy the achievements of human. Education is to make a man lead a better life. Educated people are expected to be able to listen to good music, read good books, watch plays and most of them take an interest in the world.
I would agree that making a good living is an important reason for education, but certainly not the most important or the main reason.People with little education usually ____.
| A．spend a long time in school |
| B．have a good chance to get a job |
| C．spend the best years to choose jobs |
| D．have fewer chances to get a good job |
The earliest education was probably to ______.
| A．make a man lead a better life |
| B．teach a man to write and think |
| C．make people get a way of living |
| D．teach people to read good books |
It is expected that educated people will be able to _____.
| A．accept education as a way of living |
| B．take an interest in the whole world |
| C．develop their abilities to make plays |
| D．learn subjects like language and math |
Once there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.
Time went by --- the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me,” the tree asked the boy. “I’m no longer a kid. I wouldn’t play around the tree any more.” the boy replied. “I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, I don’t have money. But you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy picked all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples.
One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited, “Come and play with me,” the tree said. “I don’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help?” “Sorry, I don’t have a house. But you can cut off my branches to build your house.” So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was pleased. “Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” “Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don’t have anything for you any more. The only thing left is my dying root,” the tree said with tears.
“Good! Old tree root is the best place to lean on and rest. Come and sit down with me and rest.” The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.Why did the boy pick all the apples on the tree?
| A．he wanted to eat them |
| B．he needed money to buy toys |
| C．he liked the tree without apples |
| D．he wanted to share them with friends |
When did the boy come back to the apple tree?
| A．whenever he was happy |
| B．if he missed the apple tree |
| C．when he was in times of difficulty |
| D．as soon as he was free |
What did the boy want at last?
| A．to have a house to live in |
| B．nothing except a place to rest |
| C．the root of the apple tree |
| D．anything that the apple tree had |
What can we learn from the story?
| A．plant more apple trees | B．learn from the boy |
| C．always stay at home | D．be thankful to our parents |
“Homestay is a form of study abroad program. It allows the visitor to rent a room from a local(当地的) family to better understand the local lifestyle. It also helps to improve the visitor’s language ability,” said a teacher during a school meeting last term. “Students who wish to learn more about foreign cultures or to get foreign experience should join this kind of holiday. I am sure you won’t be disappointed.”
After this special meeting, I always thought about this kind of holiday. Last month, I had a chance at last to go on such a holiday with some of my schoolmates and we went to London, a place where I had wanted to go since years ago.
As we were still young, we had a group leader who planned things for us and looked after us. After we got to London, we went to stay with different families. I was lucky that my host family(寄宿家庭) was a white couple who had a daughter about my age. They treated me as a daughter of their family during my stay there. They were interested in me and I learnt a lot of things from them, too.
The holiday was filled with activities every day. After breakfast, a local teacher would come to take us in his car. Then we would have classes or go on a sight-seeing trip to different places of interest like the Big Ben, the London Bridge, and the Buckingham Palace. We would go back to our own homes after the activities.
The holiday was a valuable experience for me. I enjoyed every minute of it. Yet, time really flew fast. Three weeks later, we had to leave “home” for Hong Kong.In the “homestay” program, a visitor can _____.
| A．learn more about holidays | B．understand his culture better |
| C．improve the language ability | D．take part in foreign meetings |
The writer had wanted to visit London since _______.
| A．last month | B．a long time ago |
| C．the special meeting | D．her stay abroad |
The writer’s host family ______.
| A．was very kind to her | B．went sight-seeing with her |
| C．had two white daughters | D．was interested in her activities |
From the passage, we know that the writer ______ in London.
| A．wished to stay a little longer |
| B．had a wonderful time |
| C．had classes in many interesting places |
| D．helped the teacher take the students in a car |