He was the baby with no name. Found and taken from the north Atlantic 6 days after the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, his tiny body so moved the salvage(救援)workers that they called him “our baby. ” In their home port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, people collected money for a headstone in front of the baby's grave, carved with the words: “To the memory of an unknown child. ” He has rested there ever since.
But history has a way of uncovering its secrets. On Nov. 5, this year, three members of a family from Finland arrived at Halifax and laid fresh flowers at the grave. “This is our baby,” says Magda Schleifer, 68, a banker. She grew up hearing stories about a great-aunt named Maria Panula, 42, who had sailed on the Titanic for America to be reunited with her husband. According to the information Mrs. Schleifer had gathered, Panula gave up her seat on a lifeboat to search for her five children -- including a 13-month-old boy named Eino from whom she had become separated during the final minutes of the crossing. "We thought they were all lost in the sea," says Schleifer.
Now, using teeth and bone pieces taken from the baby's grave, scientists have compared the DNA from the Unknown Child with those collected from members of five families who lost relatives on the Titanic and never recovered the bodies. The result of the test points only to one possible person: young Eino. Now, the family sees: no need for a new grave. "He belongs to the people of Halifax," says Schleifer. "They've taken care of him for 90 years. "
Adapted from People, November 25, 2002The baby travelled on the Titanic with his___________.
A.mother | B.parents | C.aunt | D.relatives |
What is probably the boy's last name?
A.Schleiferi | B.Eino. | C.Magda. | D.Panula. |
Some members of the family went to Halifax and put flowers at the child's grave on
Nov. 5__ .
A.1912 | B.1954 | C.2002 | D.2004 |
This text is mainly about how______________.
A.the unknown baby's body was taken from the north Atlantic |
B.the unknown baby was buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia |
C.people found out who the unknown baby was |
D.people took care of the unknown baby for 90 years |
A newly-wed couple on a four-month honeymoon were hit by six natural disasters, including the Australian floods, Christchurch earthquake and Japanese tsunami.
Stefan and Erika Svanstrom left Stockholm, Sweden, on December 6 and were immediately stranded in Munich, Germany, due to one of Europe's worst snowstorms. Travelling with their baby daughter, they flew on to Cairns in Australia which was then struck by one of the most tremendous tonadoes in the nation's history. From there, the couple, in their 20s, were forced to shelter for 24 hours on the cement floor of a shopping centre with 2,500 others. "Trees were being knocked over and big branches were scattered across the streets," Mr Svanstrom told Sweden's Express newspaper. "We escaped by the skin of our teeth," said Svanstrom.
They then headed south to Brisbane but the city was experiencing massive flooding, so they crossed the country to Perth where they narrowly escaped raging bush fires. The couple then flew to Christchurch, New Zealand, arriving just after a massive magnitude 6.3 earthquake destroyed the city on February 22. Mrs. Svanstrom said, "When we got there the whole town was a war zone." "We could not visit the city since it was completely blocked off, so instead we travelled around before going to Japan." But days after the Svanstroms arrived, Tokyo was rocked by Japan's largest earthquake since records began. "The trembling was horrible and we saw roof tiles fly off the buildings," Mr. Svantrom said. "It was like the buildings were swaying back and forth."
The family returned to Stockholm on March 29,2011 after a much calmer visit to their last destination China. But Mr. Svanstrom, who also survived the destructive Boxing Day tsunami that hit southeast Asia in 2004, said the marriage was still going strong. He added, "I know marriages have to endure some trials, but I think we have been through most of them." "We've certainly experienced more than our fair share of catastrophes, but the most important thing is that we're together and happy." Mrs. Svantrom added: “ To say we were unlucky with the weather doesn’t really cover it! It’s so absurd that now we can only laugh.”How many countries did the couple visit during their honeymoon?
A.6. | B.5. | C.4. | D.3. |
What's the right order of the following things according to the passage?
a. The couple headed south to Brisbane.
b. The couple flew to Cairns.
c. The couple flew to Christchurch.
d. The couple were stranded in Munich.
A.a-b-c-d |
B.a-c-b-d |
C.d-b-c-a |
D.d-b-a-c |
By saying "We escaped by the skin of our teeth.", Mr. Svanstrom meant that _____
A.The tornadoes was tremendous |
B.They escaped from the tornadoes easily. |
C.They had a narrow escape from the tornadoes |
D.There was something wrong with their teeth |
According to the last two paragraphs, which word can best describe Mr. Svanstrom?
A.ambitious. |
B.enthusiastic |
C.considerate |
D.optimistic |
People are talking about the “new economy.” It’s very different from the “old economy”.
In the old economy, people travel to work. They buy things in stores. They use the post office, the fax and the telephone to send information. They see people face-to-face at their jobs or in stores. People get information from newspapers, radio, television, books and libraries.
In the new economy, people do business through the “net,” which is a connection of millions of computers everywhere in the world. In the new economy, workers often work at home. They can get information online. They can communicate with employers and co-workers by e-mail. Businesses have “virtual (虚拟)stores”. They are websites on which customers can see the products. Businesses can sell to customers anywhere in the world.
In the new economy, people live a fast paced, convenient and colorful life. The whole world develops more quickly than before. But the new economy is a double-edge sword. Its disadvantage is also obvious. For example, the Internet has led to a huge increase in credit card cheating. Some illegal websites offer some cheap or banned goods or services. Online shoppers who enter their credit card information may never receive the goods they want to buy and their card information could even be for sale in an illegal website. So people in the new economy should be smarter and knowledgeable.The cause of the differences between the new economy and the old economy is ____.
A.the change of people’s idea |
B.the business people do |
C.the use of the Internet |
D.the change of people’s life |
“But the new economy is a double-edge sword ” in the last passage means_____.
A.The new economy is as sharp as a sword |
B.The new economy has advantages and disadvantages |
C.The new economy is better than the old economy |
D.Both the new economy and the old economy have disadvantages |
Which of the following is NOT true?
A.People can get all kinds of information on the Internet. |
B.Telephone, radio, television, newspapers and so on will disappear in the new economy. |
C.People in the new economy should have high quality. |
D.Life in the new economy is more comfortable than the one in the old economy. |
Are you interested in country music? I like it very much! It will take me away for a while after I am tired .The guitars and songs will take me to mountains and fields.
Country music usually talks of everyday life and feelings. It’s the spirit of America, easy to understand, slow and simple.
Country music developed in the Southern United States. It was the folk music of American countryside. Many of songs tell about the lives of farmers .They talk about love, crops or death.
The life of the countryside can be hard, so the words in country music are often sad. At first, people played the music only at family parties. But it became more popular later. In the 1920s, people played country songs on the radio, and they made them into records.
When people in the countryside moved to towns and cities to look for work, they took their music with them. Country music continued to change and became popular across America.
John Denver was one of America’s most famous country singers in the 1970s.His song “Take Me home, Country Roads” is well-known and people still play it today.Country music is usually about _______.
A.everyday life and feelings |
B.farmers’ feelings |
C.the lives of workers |
D.the lives of farmers |
People began to make country song records _______.
A.in the 1920s | B.in 1920 |
C.in the 1970s | D.in 1970 |
Why did Country music become popular in America?
A.Because city people liked the music. |
B.Because farmers moved to cities with their music and it continued to change. |
C.Because country music talked about city people’s lives. |
D.Because country music developed in the Southern Africa |
Who is famous for the song “Take Me Home, Country Roads”?
A.A farmer in the countryside |
B.A person who moved to towns |
C.John Denver |
D.John Denver’s brother |
Whether you’re taking a trip alone or with your family, it’s easier to get sick when you’re in a new place because your body hasn’t had a chance to adjust to the food, water, and air in a new environment. Read the following tips on keeping your travel experience as healthy as possible.
Safe foods and drinks
What foods are safe to eat? Foods that have been boiled are generally safe, as well as fruits and vegetables that have to be peeled before eating. Avoid eating uncooked or undercooked meat.
Stay away from foods that require a lot of handling before serving.
Drink only bottled water when traveling. If you have to use the tap water, you should boil it first.
You can take it with you
When you’re packing, taking some painkiller and diarrhea medicine is a good idea. It’s also a good idea to pack some allergy (过敏) medicine even if you don’t take it at home, because people sometimes unexpectedly develop allergic reactions in a new environment.
Write it all down
Before you leave your sweet home, create a medical history form that includes the following information:
your name, address, and home phone number as well as a parent’s daytime phone number
your blood type a list of any ongoing health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, or AIDS a list of current medicines you are taking a list of allergies(过敏性的)to medicine, food, insects, and animals the name, address, and phone number of a relative other than your parent It also helps if you have some basic emergency medical knowledge, not only for yourself but also for helping others you may be traveling with. A great way to prepare for your trip is to take a first-aid or basic life support course before you go; if you’re traveling with a group, you should know where the first-aid kit is and what’s in it. Which of the following word can replace the underlined word in Para.1?
A.adapt | B.just | C.adopt | D.correct |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Some travel tips | B.Danger of travel |
C.Travel experience | D.First aid in travel |
According to the passage before you travel you’d better write the phone number of the following EXCEPT ______.
A.your own | B.one of your parents |
C.one of your relatives | D.one of your friends |
Which of the following is not mentioned in the passage?
A.Taking a first-aid course. | B.Writing down your blood type. |
C.Taking some necessary medicine. | D.Telling your parents’ your plan. |
"A child is dying---out of breath!" I had just begun my working day in the city, when these words came through the radio of the police car I was driving. I turned on the red lights and siren(警笛)and drove off as fast as I could. "Just my luck!" I thought. I didn't know this city well and my first call of the day was a life-and-death sudden happening, several kilometers away.
I got to the house. A mother, filled with fear, handed me her baby, his face already blue. Was I too late? Dear me!
I did what had been taught to do in such a serious condition. A small thing flew out of the baby's mouth on to the floor. It was a button. Thank heaven! The holes in it let a little air through.
A doctor rushed into the room. He had with him an oxygen bag.
The child began to cry at the top of his voice, burned red and started to look for his mother. He was angry but was saved.The writer of the story is _______.
A.a policeman | B.a driver | C.a doctor | D.the boy's father |
The writer turned on the red lights and siren in order to _____.
A.show that he was a police car |
B.have the people in the streets make way for him |
C.warn the people in the streets of the danger ahead |
D.tell the people in the streets that he did not know the way well |
The baby was still living when the writer got to the house because _______.
A.the writer arrived in time |
B.the writer had been taught what to do at that time |
C.the button was not big enough |
D.the button happened to have holes in it |
What worried the writer all the way to the dying child ?
A.He was afraid to come too late to save the child. |
B.It was a sudden happening and he was too young. |
C.Any people might be knocked down or killed by his car. |
D.He was afraid that he could not have the button taken out. |