The goal of earthquake prediction is to give early enough warning. The U.S. Geological Survey conducts and supports research on the likelihood of future earthquakes. Scientists estimate earthquake probabilities in two ways: by studying the history of large earthquakes in a special area and the rate at which strain（拉力）accumulates（积累）in the rock.
Scientists study the past frequency of large earthquakes in order to determine the future likelihood of similar large shocks. For example scientists researched the large earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region during the 75 years between 1836 and 1911. For the next 68 years, no earthquakes of magnitude (震级) 6 or large occurred in the region. Beginning with a magnitude 6 shock in 1979, the earthquakes in the region increased dramatically; between 1979 and 1989, there were four magnitude 6 or greater earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.1 earthquake. So scientists estimated that the probability of a magnitude 6.8 or larger earthquake occurring during the next 30 years in the region is about 67 percent.
Another way to predict earthquakes is to study how fast strain accumulates. When plate movements build the strain in rocks to a critical level, like pulling a rubber band too tight, the rocks will suddenly break and slip to a new position. Scientists measure how much strain accumulates along a fault (断层) each year, how much time has passed since the last earthquake, and how much strain was released in the last earthquake. This information is used to calculate the time required for the accumulating strain to build to the level that results in an earthquake. This simple model is so complicated that such detailed information about faults is rare. In the United States, only the San Andreas Fault System has adequate records for using this prediction method.
Scientific understanding of earthquakes is of vital importance to the Nation. As the population increases, expanding urban development and construction encroach (侵蚀) upon areas susceptible(易受影响的) to earthquakes. With a greater understanding of the causes and effects of earthquakes, we may be able to reduce damage and loss of life from this destruction.What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．What an earthquake is like. |
| B．How to predict earthquakes. |
| C．Where earthquakes often happen. |
| D．When a fault is formed. |
That scientists study the history of large earthquakes in certain areas is to ultimately_________.
| A．do research on the past frequency of large earthquakes |
| B．estimate the magnitude of similar earthquakes |
| C．forecast the possibilities of similar earthquakes |
| D．judge the specific location of future earthquakes |
Which is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．There were four magnitude 6 earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay region between1979 and1989. |
| B．The accumulating strain of the fault to a certain level results in the earthquake. |
| C．About 68 years after 1911, no earthquakes occurred in the San Francisco Bay region. |
| D．The fast increasing population on the earth is the main cause of the earthquake. |
What is the critical factor of forming a fault?
| A．The material of rocks. |
| B．The existing time span of the rocks. |
| C．The plate movements around the rocks. |
| D．The amount of strain released in the last earthquake. |
According to the passage, we can know that the San Andreas Fault System____.
| A．has a greater understanding of the causes and effects of earthquakes |
| B．stores much more information about the history of large earthquakes |
| C．offers the potential for doing research on the faults where strain accumulates |
| D．illustrates specifically how rocks along a fault are formed |
At just six years old, Joey Kilpatrick is Australia’s unofficial hide-and-seek(捉迷藏)champion after he hid in a bedroom cupboard for eight hours while playing his favorite game，causing a big rescue operation.
The determined little boy’s disappearing act led to a careful search, including nice police officers, five State Emergency Service volunteers, tracker dogs and almost all of the people of the town of Goombungee.
His mother, Chris, says she called the police when Joey disappeared one afternoon after telling his older brother, Lachlan, 14, that he was off to play hide-and-seek.
“I called the two boys for dinner,” Chris says. “After about 20 minutes I started to worry, I was shouting to Joey, ‘OK, we can’t find you, time to come out!’”
But there was no sign of her little boy. Within minutes of Chris calling the police, the policemen started one of the biggest ground searches in the town’s history.
“I was really frightened. I rang my husband, Kris, who works out of town, and he immediately hit the road, calling me every 10 minutes.” Chris recalls．“They searched the house from top to bottom; everyone was out looking for him. When a neighbor asked if I’d checked the water tank, that’s when reality hit. I was afraid.”
After hours of searching the town, confused police decided to search the house one more time.
“I just sat there waiting,” Chris says, “Then a strange feeling came over me, and I rushed into the bedroom and put my hand on a pile of blankets in the cupboard. As I pulled then out，there he was---asleep and completely not realizing what was going on! I’ve never held him in my arms so hard.”
Senior officer, Chris Brameld，from Goombungee police，says he is glad that Joey’s game had a happy ending: “When we realized he was safe, we agreed that it didn’t get much better than that!”
And young Joey promises that next time he won’t be so intent(专注于) on finding the best hiding place. “I want to say sorry to the policemen and to Mummy for scaring them,” he says, “I promise next time I’ll hide where they can find me and I won’t fall asleep!”Why did the boy hide in a bedroom cupboard?
| A．He thought it was a good place to sleep |
| B．He wanted to start a big rescue operation |
| C．He didn’t think he could be easily found there |
| D．He is Australia’s unofficial hide-and-seek champion. |
What did the boy’s mother do when she couldn’t find her son?
| A．She checked the water tank. |
| B．She called the police and her husband. |
| C．She turned to her neighbor for help. |
| D．She searched the town from top to bottom. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The boy felt very cold when he was found. |
| B．The boy knew clearly what was going on. |
| C．The mother usually hugged her boy very hard. |
| D．The mother was very grateful to find her boy. |
How did the boy feel after he found out what had happened?
| A．Pitiful. | B．Funny. |
| C．Frightened. | D．Sorry. |
I ran into quite a few language problems while vacationing (度假) with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in amazement, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants or knickers( 内裤), not trousers as it does back home.
Katie — From America
I went to stay with a friend on the west coast last summer. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David — From Britain
When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing(指引) me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to (使...明白)someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom — From America
Last summer we went on a two-week family touring holiday, so Dad hired a car over the Internet. This was an old vehicle and there turned out to be lots of things wrong with it. When he phoned the hire company and tried to explain that the lock on the boot was broken, they thought he was talking about footwear! He had no idea their word for “boot” was “trunk”. In the end we went to a garage and just solved the problem.
Mary — From BritainHearing Katie’s mother’s words, Katie’s friends were in amazement because _______.
| A．Katie’s mother got mud on her jeans |
| B．Katie’s mother’s underpants were dirty |
| C．they mistook “pants” in American for underpants |
| D．they didn’t know English |
Which of the following words is from British English？
| A．Pants. | B．Ground floor. |
| C．Restroom. | D．Trunk. |
When Tom asked for the “restroom”, the people around him thought ________.
| A．he wanted to have a rest |
| B．he wanted the toilet |
| C．he wanted a chair |
| D．He wanted to go to a department store |
The underlined word “garage” is probably ________.
| A．a parking place | B．a car |
| C．a gas station | D．a place to repair cars |
Can you imagine that several hundred years ago, tomatoes were seen as toxic food in Europe?
What made Europeans believe this was John Gerard’s publication of Herbal in 1597. Gerard wrote: “The leaves and stalks of the tomato plant are toxic.” Undoubtedly, Gerard’s opinion was based on a misunderstanding of tomatoes. But his opinion was widely spread in Britain and North America for over two hundred years.
In the late 1700s, a lot of Europeans held more fears for tomatoes. A nick name for the fruit was “poison apple” because it was believed that aristocrats(贵族) got sick and died after eating them. But the actual reason was the pewter plates they used. Since tomatoes are high in acidity, when placed on the plates, the lead(铅) in the plates would dissolve(溶解). This caused many deaths. Unluckily, no one knew this at that time. So the innocent tomatoes were picked as the killer.
Today, more than one and a half billion tons of tomatoes are produced every year around the world. Tomatoes are cooked in various ways. This healthy and tasty food finally wins its innocence(清白) back.Which of the following can be the best title for this passage?
| A．Europeans’ fears for tomatoes |
| B．History of tomato planting |
| C．Why do people eat so many tomatoes |
| D．How did the tomato prove its value |
What does the underlined word “toxic” in paragraph 1 mean?
| A．delicious | B．nutritious(有营养的) |
| C．poisonous | D．safe |
When did people begin to eat tomatoes according to the text?
| A．About 100 years ago. | B．About 200 years ago. |
| C．About 300 years ago. | D．About 400 years ago. |
What’s the key point for the death of the aristocrats mentioned in the passage?
| A．Tomatoes. | B．The pewter plate. |
| C．Serious illness. | D．Chemical reaction. |
YOU probably think you know about London’s problems. The people are unfriendly, it’s way too expensive, and the food is terrible - so why do so many tourists flock (蜂拥) there?
London was named the world’s most popular city between July and September 2013. It edged out other world-famous cities such as New York and Paris, welcoming 4.9 million visitors, according to the UK Office for National Statistics.
Amazingly, this was an increase of almost 19.5 percent on 2012 - the year when the Olympics happened in summer.
So can London’s success be explained? Well, maybe. As the English writer Samuel Johnson once said, “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. London life is often crazy and expensive, but if you can think of something, you can probably do it there.
Anywhere in the city, you can often look around a great museum such as the British Museum, watch a concert at a historic venue (场所) like the Royal Albert Hall, or dance the night away in a cool nightclub such as Fabric.
And it’s not just about culture – there are also world-famous sporting venues around the city. Many tourists like to watch soccer matches at stadiums such as Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, or Tottenham’s White Hart Lane. Tourists even came to watch British tennis player Andy Murray’s famous victory at the Wimbledon tennis tournament (锦标赛) in 2013.
Yes, but what about the food? Well, even if you don’t like British food – and if you’ve never had real fish and chips, or a summer pudding, then perhaps you should wait until you’ve tried them – there is plenty of great food from all over the world available in London’s many restaurants.
London, like many of its buildings, has a long history, but also never lacks a vibrant pulse (充满活力的脉搏). All over the city, history and modernity come together to make it an essential place for tourists to discover. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the article?
| A．To show the effects of the 2012 London Olympics. |
| B．To analyze why London appeals to tourists. |
| C．To compare London with other world-famous cities. |
| D．To talk about common problems in London. |
The underlined phrase “edged out” in the second paragraph probably means ______.
| A．took the lead of |
| B．had a lot in common with |
| C．followed the example of |
| D．became more popular than |
In Samuel Johnson’s eyes, life in London is probably ______.
| A．relaxed | B．boring |
| C． colorful | D．challenging |
According to the article, London is attracting many visitors from across the world, mainly because ______.
a. it is a city rich in culture and attractions
b. most local people are friendly
c. the sporting venues around the city are worthy of a visit
d. British food enjoys a good reputation among visitors
e. the city has a combination of history and modernity
| A．abc | B．ace | C．bcd | D．bde |
The Hunan Satellite TV(HNTV) show “Where are we going, Dad?” is a big hit. Many famous stars brought their children to a strange village alone, and they had to spend 72 hours with their children there. The program fully showed us a modern version of the “how to be a good father”. As the young parents today are too busy to take care of their children, this new form of “Lost on the way” played by nanny Daddy and cute kids triggered（触发）a lot of people’s emotional resonance（共鸣）. Both the kids and their parents will find that their hearts are being drawn closer. But this kind of feeling has just proved that there is a big spiritual barrier between the modern parents and children.
The TV shows like “Children are hard to support!”, “Where are we going, Dad?”, “hot mom” and “cute kids” are becoming more and more popular. All of these show the new parents’ confusion in children’s education and the appeal for the balance between career and family.
In real life, on the one hand the young parents feel helpless because they are too busy to accompany their children under the pressures of work and life; on the other hand they continue to do so. The data collected by HNTV shows that nearly two-thirds of their audience are female, among whom 36% are aged from 25 to 34.We can imagine such a scene that one evening a young mother is watching the show with her young children, while her husband is still at work or trapped in socializing, or maybe is just playing computer games in the bedroom. The story of a child without the company of father is still going on. In fact, it is sometimes the same to mothers. In a modern family, it is often the old who take the responsibility of raising a child. The participation of mother in the children’s education is also very low.
It is just this kind of confusion where the parents have gone in the modern family education, and where the parents will guide their children to go that “Where are we going，Dad?” shows us. If a child wants to grow up healthily and safely into a modern citizen with independent personality and free spirit, it is very important for him or her to follow the parents who serve as their first teacher. Maybe this is the real reason why such kind of TV programs could get hot. The truth is that children will go where their parents go; and society will go where the children go. In raising a child in modern society, parents should ________.
| A．break down the barrier between children and teachers |
| B．keep their children at home to avoid socializing |
| C．play computer games with their children |
| D．balance well between family and career |
Which of the following can be inferred in the passage?
| A．In a modern family it is often mothers who are responsible for raising a child. |
| B．Parents shouldn’t entirely leave the education of children to the old. |
| C．The program shows us the confusion where the parents and children will go to play. |
| D．36% of the audience of the program are female aged from 25-34. |
Which one is the best title of the passage?
| A．New problems in Modern Children’s Education |
| B．Confusion Behind “Where are we going, dad?” |
| C．Nanny Daddy and Cute Kids |
| D．Modern Education is Important |
What attitude towards modern family education does the author express in the second paragraph?
| A．Worried. | B．Optimistic. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Proud. |