Seeing a volcano erupt is a wonderful experience, and you can really feel the beat by climbing to the summit(山顶) of Pacaya for a close-up view. There are guided tours every day up this highly active volcano from Antigua, giving travelers a chance to see Mother Nature at her most powerful.
Pacaya is an easy drive from Antigua, a beautiful city with many colorful houses along its old streets that are turned into art-works during its Holy Week festival. No matter when you come to Antigua, you won’t miss the Pacaya-tour companies.
But climbing Pacaya is no easy job: it is 2560 metres high, and reaching the summit takes two to three hours of seemingly one-step-forward and two-step-back movements. As you climb, you hear the dull sounds of eruptions high above steaming. Hot remains from recent eruptions begin to line the path as you are near the active summit; the McKenney Cone(火山锥).
Many tours are timed so when you arrive at the cone of the volcano there is plenty of time for sunset and the full contrast between the erupting red lava and the darkening sky. On a good day the view from the summit is extremely exciting. The active mouth boils, sending red lava over its sides, and once in a while shoots hot streams up to 100 metres into the air. There is a strong bad smell in the air even if you take care to be upwind of the cone. As evening turns deeper into the night, the burning lava quietly falls down the side of the volcano. For you, too, it is time to get down .What is the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To attract tourists to Pacaya. |
| B．To describe the beauty of Pacaya. |
| C．To introduce guided tours to Pacaya. |
| D．To explain the power of nature at Pacaya. |
Antigua is a city .
| A．where people can have a close-up view of the volcano |
| B．where the daring Pacaya tour starts |
| C．that lies on the summit of Pacaya |
| D．that is famous for its tour companies |
Climbing to the McKenney Cone, people will .
| A．walk down to the active summit |
| B．hear the continuous loud screams from above |
| C．make greater efforts than to other summits |
| D．see a path lined with remains of earlier eruptions |
Many tours are timed for people to .
| A．get down the mountain in time when night falls |
| B．avoid the smell from the upwind direction of the cone |
| C．enjoy the fantastic eruption against the darkening sky |
| D．appreciate the scenery of the 2560-metre-high mountain |
The short passage probably comes from___________.
| A．a travel journal | B．a popular science magazine |
| C．A novel | D．an advertisement |
Nowadays everybody seems to think that they know English. Many people speak it but few speak it really well. Practice is necessary in speaking English well.
Reading is also one of the things that will help you to speak English better. Read whenever you can and whatever you like! Read papers and Internet sites that you like in English every day. Then, you will see that the number of known words is increasing and you are able to speak with more skills. Then you will have made the foundations（基础）and a good basis of English. It is not good to stop and get stuck there.
Going to England or an English speaking country is a good choice, but many people cannot afford it. If you cannot go, reading and speaking with your friends will also help you to practice your English. However, I think that it is very good to visit some English speaking country to see and test your knowledge in everyday life. You will feel the everyday usage of the language in its natural environment. There your level of English is going to improve even faster. Your ability to speak English is better. Nothing can match the excitement and happiness when a native speaker tells you that your English is very good!
Finally, in order to speak English well, you must be persistent（坚持的）and do it every day. It is like playing the piano. Pianists play it every day and so should you. Include English in your life and you will see where it is going. Practice, practice! Read, write and improve your language skills and you are on your way when you will be able to speak it with more and more confidence! Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to Improve Your Language Skills | B．How to Speak English Well |
| C．Speaking English | D．Practice, Practice |
What does the writer suggest doing about reading?
| A．Trying to improve your vocabulary. |
| B．Keeping on reading when you have time. |
| C．Stopping when you have a good basis of English. |
| D．Looking up every unknown word when reading. |
In the writer’s eyes, the essential way to improve your speaking skills is .
| A．practicing | B．going abroad |
| C．reading | D．writing |
According to the passage, what may make the author excited?
| A．Reading papers and Internet sites. | B．Having a good basis of English. |
| C．Going to an English speaking country. | D．A native speaker’s praise. |
A few years ago it was popular to speak of a generation gap, a disagreement between young people and their elders．Parents said that children did not show them proper respect and obedience(服从), while children complained(抱怨)that their parents did not understand them at all．What had gone wrong? Why had the generation gap suddenly appeared? Actually the generation gap has been around for a long time．Many people argue that a gap is built into the fabric(结构)of our society．
One important cause of the generation gap is the chance that young people have to choose their own ways of life．In more traditional societies, when children grow up, they are expected to live in the same area as their parents, to marry people that their parents know and agree to, and to continue the family occupation(职业)．In our society, young people often travel great distances for their education, move out of the family home at an early age, marry or live with people whom their parents have never met, and choose occupations different from those of their parents．
In our easily changing society, parents often expect their children to do better than they did: to find better jobs, to make more money, and to do all the things that they were unable to do．Often, however, the strong desire that parents have for their children are another cause of the disagreement between them．Often, they discover that they have very little in common with each other．
Finally, the speed at which changes take place in our society is another cause of the gap between the generations．In a traditional culture, elderly people are valued for their wisdom, but in our society the knowledge of a lifetime may become out of date overnight．The young and the old seem to live in two very different worlds, separated by different skills and abilities．
No doubt, the generation gap will continue to be a feature(特点)of American life for some time to come．Its causes are rooted in the freedom and changes of our society, and in the rapid speed at which society changes．The main idea of the first paragraph is that _______．
| A．the generation gap suddenly appeared |
| B．the generation gap is a feature of modern social life |
| C．people can reduce the generation gap |
| D．many critics argue over the nature of the generation gap |
The word “around” in Paragraph 1 means _______．
| A．on all sides | B．near |
| C．in every direction | D．in existence（存在） |
Which cause of the generation gap is not mentioned in the passage?
| A．Young people like to choose their own life styles． |
| B．American society is changing very fast． |
| C．Parents place high hopes on their children． |
| D．Modern education makes them think differently． |
In American society, young people often _______．
| A．depend on their parents to make a life |
| B．stay with their parents in order to get a chance for higher education |
| C．seek the best advice from their parents |
| D．have very little in common with their parents |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Parents should be strict with their children． |
| B．The younger generation should value the older generation for their wisdom． |
| C．The generation gap is partly caused by the older generation． |
| D．The generation gap does not exist in American society． |
The other day I heard a few local musicians talking: "I hate all the pianos in this town and I hate that rubbish they play on the radio. They cannot even understand rhythm (韵律).""Nobody wants to pay musicians anything. I’m sick of all the people who want you to play without paying you."...
One younger musician said, "There are a couple of clubs who want me to play for a few nights a month, and I’m trying to find other places to play. I’m also planning to join in several summer festivals this year."
I really liked what the younger musician said so I made friends with him. Attitudes are important. Whether they’re positive or negative (消极的), they’re all rubbing off on you. If you’re around people who are always complaining or blaming (责备) others, it is possible that you will start doing the same as well. If you spend lots of time with people who don’t support your dreams, it is time to take a look at the people you call "friends".
There is an easy exercise you can try. Make a list of the people who you often stay with, and simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard. The choice is always yours to make. Of course, this exercise is entirely different from making friends only for the good of oneself. We really should try to help and spend time with those who are working towards a goal or dream.The musicians’ conversation at the beginning is to show that ______.
| A．musicians’ living conditions are not good |
| B．people in that town have poor taste in music |
| C．different people have different attitudes |
| D．young people are more likely to succeed |
The underlined part "they’re rubbing off on you" in Paragraph 3 means ______.
| A．they’ll push you ahead |
| B．they’ll have an influence on you |
| C．they’ll keep you from moving on |
| D．they’ll help you realize your dreams |
Why did the author want to make friends with the younger musician?
| A．He is more active than the others. |
| B．He can earn more than the others. |
| C．He has more things to do than the others. |
| D．His attitude is more positive than the others. |
By doing the exercise mentioned in Paragraph 4, you can ______.
| A．make the right kind of friends |
| B．improve your ability to make friends |
| C．develop a better relationship with your friends |
| D．make some new friends with the same interests as you |
We can get the following information from the passage EXCEPT ______.
| A．the younger musician is a positive person and would be a good friend |
| B．one will start complaining if one spends too much time with negative people |
| C．the exercise can help you keep close to really helpful friends |
| D．one should avoid making friends with people who have lots of difficulties |
Rome had the Forum. London has Speaker's Corner. Now always–on–the-go. New Yorkers have Liz and Bill.
Liz and Bill, two college graduates in their early 20s, have spent a whole year trying to have thousands of people talk to them in subway stations and on busy street corners. Just talk.
Using a 2-foot-tall sign that says, "Talk to Me." they attract conversationalists, who one evening included a mental patient, and men in business suits.
They don't collect money. They don't push religion. So what's the point?
"To see what happens, said Liz. " We simply enjoy life with open communication."
Shortly after the September 11,2001 attacks, they decided to walk from New York City to Washington, a 270-mile trip. They found they loved talking to people along the way and wanted to continue talking with strangers after their return.
"It started as a crazy idea, "Liz said." We were so curious about all the strangers walking by with their life stories. People will talk to us about anything: their jobs, their clothes, their childhood experiences, anything."
Denise wanted to talk about an exam she was about to take. She had stopped by for the second time in two days, to let the two listeners know how it went.
Marcia had lost her husband to a serious disease. "That was very heavy on my mind," Marcia said. "To be able to talk about it to total strangers was very good," she explained.
To celebrate a year of talking, the two held a get-together in a city park for all the people they had met over the past year. A few hundred people showed up, as well as some television cameramen and reporters.
They may plan more parties or try to attract more people to join their informal talks. Some publishers have expressed interest in a book, something they say they'll consider.What did Liz and Bill start doing after September 2001?
| A．Chatting with people. | B．Setting up street signs |
| C．Telling stories to strangers | D．Organizing a speaker's corner |
What they have been doing can be described as_________. .
| A．pointless | B．normal | C．crazy | D．successful |
Why are Denise and Marcia mentioned in the text?
| A．They knew Liz and Bill very well. |
| B．They happened to meet the writer of the text. |
| C．They organized the get-together in the city park. |
| D．They are examples of those who talked to Liz and Bill. |
What will Liz and Bill do in the future?
| A．Go in for publishing. | B．Do more television programs. |
| C．Continue what they are doing. | D．Spend more time reading books. |
How do they like the idea of writing a book?
| A．They have decided to wait a year or two |
| B．They will think about it carefully |
| C．They agreed immediately |
| D．They find it hard to do that |
In 1977, a dead author of detective stories saved the life of a 19-month-old baby in a most unusual way. The author was Agatha Christie, one of the most successful writers of detective stories in the world.
In June 1977, a baby girl became seriously ill in Qatar, near Saudi Arabia. Doctors were unable to find out the cause of her illness with confidence, so she was sent to Hammersmith Hospital in London. She was then only semi-conscious and on the "Dangerously Ill" list. A team of doctors hurried to examine the baby only to discover that they, too, were confused by the very unusual symptoms (症状). While they were discussing the baby's case, a nurse asked to speak to them. "Excuse me," said Nurse Marsha Maitlan, "but I think the baby is suffering from thallium (铊) poisoning."
"What makes you think that?" Dr. Brown asked. "Thallium poisoning is extremely rare."
"A few days ago, I was reading a novel called A Pale Horse by Agatha Christie," Nurse Maitlan explained. "In the book, somebody uses thallium poison, and all the symptoms are described. They're exactly the same as the baby's."
"You're very thoughtful and you may be right," another doctor said. "We'll carry out some tests and find out whether it's thallium or not."
Tests showed that the baby had indeed been poisoned by thallium, a rare metallic substance used in making special glass. Once they knew the cause of the illness, the doctors were able to give the baby the correct treatment. She soon recovered and was sent back to Qatar. Later it was reported that the poison might have come from an insecticide (杀虫剂) used in Qatar. The one who first suggested the correct cause of the baby's illness was _____.
| A．a doctor in Qatar | B．Dr. Brown |
| C．Nurse Maitlan | D．Agatha Christie |
As far as we can tell from the passage, Agatha Christie _____.
| A．had spent a long time studying the baby's case |
| B．visited the baby in the hospital at Hammersmith |
| C．had never met this baby |
| D．gave Nurse Maitlan some advice on the phone |
It seems likely from the passage that the baby's illness had something to do with _____.
| A．a harmful substance used to kill insects |
| B．a dangerous pair of glasses |
| C．the water in Qatar |
| D．a dead writer |