China is a land of bicycles.At least it was back in 1992 when I travelled the country.Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle.Millions of them,all black.Cars were rare.Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year,I've found the opposite is true.There were millions of cars.However,people still use their bicycles to get around.For many,it's the easiest and cheappiest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colours---silver,green,red,blue,yellow,whatever you want.
It's fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads,move skillfully through traffic,and ride even on sidewalks(人行道). Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can't provide.
Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started to ride.
My first ride home was orderly(守秩序的).To be safe,I stayed with a "pack"of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn't want to get hit.So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide,so crossing took time,skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my air was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people.Biking made me feel alive.
| 1． |
According to the suthour,why are bicycles still popular in China today?
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| 2． |
The authour decided to buy a bicycle because he intened.
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| 3． |
How did the suthour feel about his street crossing?
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| 4． |
Which of the following best describes the authour's biking experience?
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Photographs are everywhere. They decorate (装饰) the walls of homes and are used in stores for sales of different goods. The news is filled with pictures of fires, floods, and special events. Photos record the beauties of nature. They can also bring things close that are far away. Through photos, people can see wild animals, cities in foreign lands, and even the stars in outer space. Photos also tell stories.
Reporting the news through photos is called photojournalism. At times photojournalists tell their stories through a single picture. At other times, they use a group of pictures to tell a story. Each picture is like a chapter in a book, which can do more than record the facts. It can also be a strong force for social change.
Jacob Riis was among the first photojournalists. He took pictures of parts of New York City where the poor lived. Riis believed that poverty(贫穷) caused crime, and he used photos to help him prove his point. A few years later, the photos of small children working in factories by Lewis Hine shocked the public. Hine’s pictures helped bring about laws to protect such children.
Hundreds of pictures may have to be taken in order to get one or two really good photos. It takes science to have the photo come out clearly and art to make a photo that has a good design and expresses feeling. Photojournalists make an actual record of what they see. A photo, however, can be both a work of art and an actual record. It can record an important event as a beautiful or exciting picture.
As historical and artistic documents(文献) ,photos can become more important over time. Today photojournalists still have their pictures appear in newspapers and magazines. They also publish(发表) them in books and on the Internet.The underlined word “They” in the first paragraph refers to.
| A．beauties | B．photos | C．goods | D．events |
The photos of the small children by Hine show us that photos.
| A．are also works of art | B．are popular ways of reporting news |
| C．often shock the public | D．can serve as a force for social change |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．News with pictures is encouraging. | B．Photos help people improve |
| C．News photos mean history in a sense. | D．People prefer reading news with pictures. |
The text is mainly about.
| A．telling the story through picture | B．decorating the walls of homes |
| C．publishing historical papers | D．expressing feeling through pictures |
They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon; on foot, on mules(骡子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early; my husband and I and our three children couldn’t wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.
As we set out, I was shocked at how narrow the path was. And I couldn’t help noticing that the other tourists weren’t like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we were dressed, As the sun rose higher, Arizona’s famous heat seemed to roast(烘烤) us. There was no shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far behind. By the time we finally got back, our legs were like jelly.
The next day, after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view of the Canyon – by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.
We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed(翻转) the plane around, pretending he was going to hit the ground. I shouted, “STOP, TAKE US BACK!” When we finally arrived back on land, once again our legs were like jelly. We hardly spoke as we drove back.
As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but personally I’d suggest a fourth: buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic. That way, you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph?
| A．They made a careful preparation before the trip |
| B．They children were more joyful than their parents. |
| C．Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected. |
| D．The summer heat prevented them from enjoying the view. |
The underlined expression “Our legs were like jelly” probably means .
| A．we were weak | B．we were unhappy |
| C．we were dissatisfied | D．we were disappointed |
Which of the following best describes their Canyon trip by air?
| A．It proved to be frightening. | B．It was more comfortable |
| C．It turned out to be exciting | D．It made each of them tired. |
We can infer from the passage that .
| A．experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way |
| B．one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon. |
| C．the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion. |
| D．the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident. |
Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona. He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends.
My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and family, but uncomfortable with his children. As a child I loved him; as a school girl and young adult I feared him and felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A's and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as "successful" as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.
On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father's friends for lunch at an outdoor café. We walked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son's funny facial expressions. Gone was my father's critical(挑剔的) air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around? What had held him back before?
The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment. After so many years, I'm at last seeing another side of my father. And in so doing, I'm delighted with my new friend. My dad, in his new home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was.
| 1． |
Why did the author feel bitter about her father when she was a young adult?
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| 2． |
When the author went out with her father on weekends, she would feel.
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| 3． |
What does the author think of her father after her visit to Tucson?
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| 4． |
The underlined words "my new friend" in the last paragraph refer to. |
D
Holidays
| Holiday News Vacancies(空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
| The snowdonia Centre The Snowdonia Centre for young mountain climbers has a mountain climbing lesson. The beginners' costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of mountain climbing adventure. |
| The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking, waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about - from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokoy and Hong Kong. For a few thousand pounds, all you've ever hoped for can be yours. |
| 1． |
What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
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| 2． |
In what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?
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| 3． |
What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?
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Do's and Don'ts in Whale(鲸) Watching
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has developed guidelines for whale watching in Johnstone Strait, where killer whales are found on a daily basis each summer. It is strongly recommended that vessel(船只) operators follow these guidelines for all kinds of whales.
· Approach whales from the side, not from the front or the back.
· Approach no closer than 100 metres, then stop the boat but keep the engine on.
· Keep noise levels down - no horns, whistles or racing of engines.
· Start your boat only after the whales are more than 100 metres from your vessel.
· Leave the area slowly, gradually moving faster when you are more than 300 metres from the whales.
· Approach and leave slowly, avoiding sudden changes in speed or direction.
· Avoid disturbing groups of resting whales.
· Keep at low speeds and remain in the same direction if traveling side by side with whales.
· When whales are traveling close to shore, avoid crowding them near the shore or coming between the whales and the shore.
· Limit the time spent with any group of whales to less than 30 minutes at a time when within 100 to 200 metres of whales.
· If there is more than one vessel at the same observation spot, be sure to avoid any boat position that would result in surrounding the whales.
· Work together by communicating with other vessels, and make sure that all operators are aware of the whale watching guidelines.
| 1． |
For whom is this text written?（）
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| 2． |
When leaving the observation areas, the vessel should（）.
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| 3． |
When going side by side with whales, the vessel should（）.
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| 4． |
What is the shortest safe distance from the whales?（）
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