“Just take a deep breath.” “Don’t think about it.” “You’re more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash.” These are just some words given to people with a fear of flying. But as Tom Cruise, playing Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the movie A Few Good Men, said, “I get sick when I fly because I’m afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don’t think Daniel will help.”
But there’s a new application that just may. Today, the VALK Foundation, a Dutch group that’s a partnership between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the University of Leiden, launches the app (application) in the US. The VALK Foundation was one of the first centers for research and fear-of-flying treatment in the world and is the organizer of three world conferences on fear of flying.
The foundation said the app, called Flight App VALK, is the first scientifically-developed, web-based treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate fear of flying.
“The fear-of-flying application we have created aims to transfer all of the knowledge we have developed through our program into a mobile application that will help ease travelers’ fears,” said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, director of the VALK Foundation. Dr. van Gerwen is also a psychologist and professional pilot with more than 30 years experience.
The foundation said up to 30% of adults are fearful fliers. The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights by educating users about flight safety and turbulence. It explains the sounds and sensations(感觉)they can expect during departure, flight and landing. And, if a passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, they press a special panic button which provides audio and written information to help decrease stress levels. Most importantly, the Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require Internet connection in the air.By saying the words at the beginning of the passage, people are expected to ______.
| A．decrease their fear of flying |
| B．get rid of their doubt about plane |
| C．have a good time on their flight journey |
| D．use some medicine to cure their fear of flying |
According to the passage, the VALK Foundation ______.
| A．is a group focusing on psychology on the flight |
| B．was the first center to do research into fear of flying |
| C．organizes the world conferences on fear of flying annually |
| D．focuses on researching and offering treatment on fear of flying |
Flight App VALK is aimed to ______.
| A．help passengers experience the fear of flying |
| B．help relax passengers before and during flights |
| C．treat people who suffer from mild fear of flying |
| D．teach people the basic knowledge of taking flight |
What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．Many adults are suffering from fear of flying |
| B．It’s convenient for people to use the Flight App |
| C．Many planes will be installed with the Flight App. |
| D．The Flight App can decrease stress levels effectively |
In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?
| A．Culture | B．Entertainment | C．Technology | D．Education |
The custom of celebrating from the end of January until mid-February has long been popular in Quebec City, Canada. The first large Winter Carnival here, in the world’s snow capital, took place in 1894. Faced with winter’s hardships, the city’s population made this popular tradition into a winter celebration that warmed the hearts of all people.
Interrupted by two wars and then the economic crisis of 1929, the Carnival was held from time to time until the second half of the century. In 1954, a group of business people re-started the festivities. That year, Bonhomme was born and was elected the event’s representative.
The next year the first official Quebec Winter Carnival took place. The Carnival snowballed into a big event and was important for tourism and economic activity in the city.
From one winter to the next, the Carnival enriched its activity program. We have since added even more popular activities, such as winter sports, snow sculptures, and activities based on the traditional Quebec lifestyle, such as dogsled races. The Quebec Winter Carnival is the largest winter carnival in the world today, and is third on the list of Top Carnivals after the famous carnivals in Rio and New Orleans.
1960
The people living along Rue Sainte-Therese created many snow or ice sculptures, 
and this location became known as Carnival Street.
1964
The name of Bonhomme Carnival and his image became registered trademarks.
1970
A new tradition was born: closing the event with a firework display.
1975
A new activity, called The Break, was created, on Friday from noon till midnight. Many employers gave their employees time off so they could go dancing at the Quebec City Convention Centre. The event continued to be held until 1986, sometimes late into the night.
1977
Until 1991, the Carnival offered a children’s sculpture competition.
1987
The snow bath became part of the prog
ram.
1999
Because of the importance of volunteers, the human resources department was created to improve organization.The Quebec Winter Carnival.
| A．is held from mid-February to the end of March |
| B．is an encouragement for the local people in winter |
| C．is the second largest carnival in the winter |
| D．has as many activities as when it was first held |
Although many butterflies remain to be decreasing in the long run, last year three quarters of endangered species saw an increase in number, including some rare species.
Experts said the improvement in the butterflies’ fortunes was likely to be the result of effective action on protection, such as leaving open wetland in woods where flowers can grow, and better weather in 2010 after three damaging wet summers.
Dr Tom Brereton said butterflies are extremely sensitive to changes in the weather. Last ye
ar saw a warm summer for successful feeding, which helped a number of butterflies in some way.
He even said climate change could be benefiting some butterfly species but many other butterfly species suffer from it. For example, the mountain ringlet suffers as it needs cold climates. And at the same time, the change is too rapid for most to get used to.
In the long run butterfly numbers have continued to drop, with three quarters of the nearly 60 species found in Britain seeing numbers fall in recent decades and nearly half of them seriously threatened.
The Lulworth skipper, one of the UK’s rarest butterflies, had its worst year since 1976, and there are people worrying that changing the environment to benefit other species may be harming this kind of butterfly. Wild flowers have been grown in some places to help other butterflies but the Lulworth skipper needs long grass and wild areas. Meadow browns, the country’s most common species, also had the worst year on record. Some other kinds of butterflies also had a bad year.
However, in the short term many butterflies saw an increase in number in 2010 compared to 2009 levels.
…Which was a reason for the increase in the number of the butterflies last year?
| A．The protection of humans. | B．A wet summer. |
| C．Changes in the butterflies’ habits. | D．The decrease in wetland in woods. |
We can learn from Dr Tom Brereton’s words that .
| A．the mountain ringlet can quickly adapt to climate change |
| B．butterflies can help slow down climate change |
| C．climate change can be both beneficial and harmful to butterflies |
| D．other kinds of animals also suffer from climate change |
What is most likely to be discussed in the following paragraph?
| A．Why some butterflies decreased in number in 2010. |
| B．How to protect butterflies in the coming winter. |
| C．Effects of climate change on butterflies. |
| D．Examples of butterflies that have increased in number. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Some butterflies in Britain have had a good year. |
| B．Butterflies in Britain have different habits. |
| C．Butterflies are well protected in Britain. |
| D．Butterflies are disappearing from Britain. |
For about a decade, I knew that I needed to improve my handwriting, but I always put it off. “My typing skills are good, my communication skills are good, and all my other abilities are adequate for the job I do and the life I live. Why would I need to improve my handwriting in such a modern world?” I thought.
I was sort of hit by the fact that my handwriting needed improving quite suddenly in the form of a note from my boss. Obviously one of the notes I had posted on the office message board had been misunderstood because of my handwriting. My boss demanded that I learn to write in a neat way, something I couldn’t ignore any longer.
I tried a lot of different methods to improve my handwriting. Nowadays, there are more resources than before. You don’t even have to go to the store and can buy handwriting training materials online. I tried out a lot of these, and my handwriting did improve somewhat. Now I make sure I form every letter correctly. This is inconvenient and time-consuming, but it is better than having my comments misread.
People come up to me and tell me how nice my handwriting is. I have never thought of that, but this is exactly what has happened. It really is a pleasure, but it isn’t enough. In the long run, I actually have to go to a handwriting coach to improve my handwriting. It seems like I have years and years of bad habits that I have to break, and this isn’t something I could handle on my own. I need someone to teach me how to write clearly from the ground up.The underlined word “adequate” in the first paragraph probably means “”.
Aclear enough B. common enough C. good enough D. special enoughThe writer made the decision to improve his handwriting because .
| A．he had planned for that for a long time |
| B．he was shocked by his boss’ good handwriting |
| C．he was often misunderstood because of his handwriting |
| D．his boss asked him to work on his handwriting |
How did the writer try to improve his handwriting?
| A．He practiced writing mainly on his own. |
| B．He practiced writing and typing at the same time. |
| C．He joined a handwriting training class. |
| D．He employed a coach to teach him online. |
What does the writer think of his handwriting at present?
| A．Unacceptable. | B．Perfect. | C．Worse. | D．Better. |
ARIZONA
Thunderbird Lodge in Canyon de Chelly
A one-night stay at the historic lodge starts at $59 for a single room and the lodge offers half-day tours of Canyon de Chelly ( $41 for adults and $32 for children aged 12 and under).
Time: May 31, 2009 ~ Nov. 1, 2009
Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 17.1 percent
Contact: 800/679-2473, tbirdlodge.com
CALIFORNIA
Zephyr Cove Resort at Lake Tahoe
A three-night stay in a lakeside cabin(小木屋) for two people, an Emerald Bay sightseeing for two, free breakfast and lunch. Rates are $299 per couple – saving of up to $400.
Details: Hotel taxes are included
Time: Through Dec. 15, 2009
Contact: 800/234-8946, zephyrcove.com
NEVADA
Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas
A one-night stay at the mediterranean-style Montelago Village, 17 miles from Las Vegas. Rates start at $65 per person including ice-skating fees and skate rentals.
Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 12 percent
Time: Nov. 17, 2009~Jan. 15, 2010
Contact: 866/399-2753, montelagovillage.com
YELLOWSTONE
Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel
A two-night stay, breakfast daily, full day ski rental, unlimited ice-skating and skates and a book of Yellowstone photos. Rates start at $119 per person. A one-night stay at the hotel starts at $65.
Details: Hotel taxes are an additional 8 percent
Time: Jan .1, 2010~May 2, 2010
Contact: 866/439-2473, travelyellowstone.comIf a couple and their 14-year-old son want to have a half-day tour of Canyon de Chelly on Oct. 13, 2009, they should pay __________.
| A．$114 | B．$123 | C．$177 | D．$189 |
If you are interested in ice-skating, you may find more information in __________.
| A．tbirdlodge.com and zephyrcove.com |
| B．montelagovillage.com and tbirdlodge.com |
| C．zephyrcove.com and travelyellowstone.com |
| D．travelyellowstone.com and montelagovillage.com |
If you have a holiday in December, and intend to stay in a European-style hotel, you may go to __________.
| A．Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel |
| B．Zephyr Cove Resort at Lake Tahoe |
| C．Montelago Village at Lake Las Vegas |
| D．Thunderbird Lodge in Canyon de Chelly |
Sony and Toyota are struggling. But one brand name is booming (繁荣) in Japan during the economic slowdown—Mickey Mouse.
According to the company that runs Tokyo Disneyland, Japan’s busiest theme park will be more packed than ever over Christmas and New Year’s Day. Despite the bad economy, it’s already been a record year for an escape which is cheaper than the average night out in pricey Tokyo.
“Here, economic depression (萧条) seems a world away,” visitor Namie Katsunuma said. “This is the only place where I can totally forget the economic worries and hardships of my life.”
The single mother’s salary at an auto factory was cut in November but, with her $500 yearly pass in hand, she makes the 95-km journey from her home to Tokyo Disneyland every couple of months.
The park’s operator, Oriental Land Co, estimates (估算) a record 26.5 million people will visit Tokyo Disneyland and its nearby sister park, Disneysea, during the financial year ending in March. The company is forecasting sales of a record $4.2 billion, up almost 10 percent.
“In a way, the economy works well for Tokyo Disneyland,” said Hiroshi Watanabe, an economist at the Tokyo-based Daiwa Research Institute. “Because of the economic depression, people have stopped buying cars and houses or going to Hawaii, and Tokyo Disneyland offers an affordable and pleasant alternative.”
Around the world, Disney’s theme parks have been a bright spot for the brand this year as people seem to look for an escape from bad times. According to the passage, what happens to Tokyo Disneyland this year?
| A．Fewer people visit it. | B．Less money is made. |
| C．It attracts more visitors. | D．Its sales have reached $4.2 billion. |
What can be the possible reason for Tokyo Disneyland’s boom?
| A．It costs less money to play here than in any other theme park. |
| B．People have a new understanding of amusement. |
| C．The economic depression has changed people’s plans to spend money. |
| D．Visitors seek an escape from economic depression. |
What does the underlined word “alternative” mean in the sixth paragraph?
| A．choice. | B．park. | C．time. | D．trip. |
According to the last paragraph, what is the writer probably going to write?
| A．The theme parks that attract most visitors. |
| B．More examples of success of Disney theme parks. |
| C．Tokyo Disneyland’s plan for the next year. |
| D．The economic depression in other companies. |