Aggressive pedestrians are in fact as dangerous as careless drivers. They cause traffic accidents, injury and death. These dangerous walkers can be seen in any big city all over the world. About 69% of last year’s pedestrian deaths in the US occurred in urban areas. They cross streets ignoring “DON’T WALK” signals, suddenly appear without warning from behind parked vehicles, walk slowly at crossroads with cell phones attached to heads, blocking traffic.
These pedestrians and drivers share a common disregard for the rules of the road, both for selfish reasons. The drivers believe in the power of their machines. If their machines can go faster, they believe they have the right to go faster. If their machines are bigger, they believe they have the right to push smaller vehicles aside. Aggressive pedestrians, on the other hand, believe in the primacy(首位) of the individual, the idea that they are first in any environment, under any circumstances, even when they are on foot in a roaring tide of steel and rubber.
Last year, an estimated 5,220 pedestrians died in traffic accidents. Some 69,000 pedestrians were injured. On average, that worked out to one pedestrian killed in a traffic crash every 101 minutes, and one injured every eight minutes.
The good news is that the accident rate is dropping. For example, the number of pedestrians killed last year was 24 percent less than the number killed in traffic accidents a decade earlier. The bad news is that the basic causes of pedestrian deaths remain pretty much the same----disregard for traffic signals, inattention and crossing roads under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, in fact, was involved in 46 percent of the traffic accidents that resulted in pedestrian deaths. Of those, 31 percent of the pedestrians were found to be drunk.
The bottom line is that the pedestrians must do more to protect their lives as well as the lives of other road users. They can start by obeying traffic signals, using marked cross-walks and calling a cab when they’ve had too much to drink.The passage is mainly about _____.
| A．what the traffic rules of the road about pedestrians were |
| B．why so many Americans were killed on roads last year |
| C．how aggressive pedestrians cause traffic accidents |
| D．who are to blame for pedestrian deaths, drunk drivers or the aggressive pedestrians |
What is the pedestrians’ selfish reason for traffic jams?
| A．They believe individuals are always first. |
| B．They know all drivers are skilled and with great care. |
| C．They think traffic rules have nothing to do with them. |
| D．They guess all vehicles will slow down at crossroads. |
What was NOT the basic cause of pedestrian deaths in the US a decade ago?
| A．Disregard for traffic signals |
| B．Paying no attention to surroundings. |
| C．Overspeeding driving. |
| D．Crossing roads drunk. |
What word can best describe the author’s attitude to the traffic accidents caused by pedestrians?
| A．Excited. | B．Cold. | C．Unconnected. | D．Concerned |
According to Hunan Daily, in Yongxing County of Hunan Province, retired teacher Chen and his wife are living in a natural cave (山洞), and they quite enjoy such life.
Chen’s cave is 20 meters wide and 8 meters deep. Lichens (青苔)can be seen everywhere in it. Chen says that the place is free of pollution.
Because of being poor, they moved into the cave, Chen said. In 1975, the houses of his families and his neighbors were all burned to the ground in the fire. Chen was then already married and badly needed a house to live in. But he had no money to build a house, so he had to live in his relatives’ houses as long as 5 years.
In 1980, he happened to discover this cave, immediately he and his family members decided to live in there. Chen thought the cave could be a temporary（临时的）living place, but it never occurred to him that it could be his home in the next 28 years. Chen recalled that the first couple of days were the most difficult period, “I put up some wooden boards for a gate, but they were all blown away by wind that same night.”
Chen has two sons and a daughter, and they all left the cave after they got married. Now Chen’s old friends once in a while visit him in his cave drinking and playing Chinese chess. For Chen, the most enjoyable thing is to raise bees and grow kinds of plants.From the passage we know what Chen likes to do most is ____.
| A．drinking and playing chess with his friends |
| B．raising bees and growing plants |
| C．doing farm work in the fields |
| D．recalling his past life |
What had happened to his house before he moved into the cave?
| A．His house was blown away by wind. |
| B．His house was washed away by floods. |
| C．His house was destroyed by fire. |
| D．The text doesn’t mention it. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．All of Chen’s children are studying in the university. |
| B．Chen’s friends hardly come to the cave to see him. |
| C．Chen and his children still live together in the cave. |
| D．Chen found the cave quite by accident. |
The purpose of the passage is to ____.
| A．introduce a natural cave to people |
| B．tell us something about a teacher living in the cave for 28 years |
| C．explain how the Chens suffered during the 28 years |
| D．expect more people to visit Chen’s cave |
Eyesight problems are common among all ages and if they are left untreated, they can cause serious headaches or other problems. The good news is that most eyesight problems can easily be sorted out by wearing glasses.
Regular eye tests are important for everyone. Children and teenagers, under the age of 16 and up to the age of 19 for those full-time education, have the right to have eye tests for free in Britain. As the eye test is free, there’s no excuse for not having a regular eye test. Doctors suggest that it’s better to have an eye test about once a year.
Wearing glasses isn’t always regarded as all that cool and teens who suddenly need to wear glasses may find it difficult to accept. If they’ve grown up wearing glasses, then they may be more used to it. However, if your eyes are in poor health, not wearing glasses can put even more pressure on your eyes and could make them even worse.
Thankfully, the days of little choice of glasses frames (框架) for teenagers are gone and there’s now a wide selection of frames. If a teen does need to wear glasses, then it’s good to let him or her choose the type, as he or she will be able to choose something he or she feels comfortable. Don’t forget to be guided by the experts on glasses too. According to the text, teens in the UK ______.
| A．have few eyesight problems |
| B．can design their own glasses |
| C．change their glasses very often |
| D．can check their eyes without paying |
How often do doctors suggest teens to have an eye test?
| A．Once a month. | B．Once every six months. |
| C．Once a year. | D．Twice a year. |
It can be learned from the text that teens ______.
| A．find it difficult to buy comfortable glasses |
| B．prefer to wear cool glasses at an early age |
| C．are advised to wear glasses if their eyesight is poor |
| D．think they are much cooler when wearing glasses |
In the past, teens who wanted to buy glasses ______.
| A．were unable to find the right glasses |
| B．only had a few styles to choose from |
| C．could not find an expert to ask for advice |
| D．were worried about the quality of glasses |
Twothirds of the world's major rivers have now been disrupted with more than 50,000 dams in an attempt to store water and provide power.In the US，there are more than 85,000 dams，disrupting large and small rivers，and in most cases transforming natural flow.The most famous of these，the Hoover Dam，constructed in the 1930s，is mainly responsible for the fact that the Colorado River no longer reaches the ocean.
Dams，besides all their attractive benefits，also have negative impacts.Creating a reservoir means a large area must be flooded.Communities may lose their land，houses and culturally important sites.
Environmentally，the new reservoir can be a paradise for wildlife，especially birds；however，it can cause greenhouse gas emissions and poison the water.Also，the dramatic rise and fall of water levels during dam releases is too extreme for plants and animals to cope with，resulting in dead zones around the shores of reservoirs.Fish that lay their eggs in the shallows，for example，may find a few hours later that those sites are high and dry.
Downstream(在下游方向)of a dam，the flow may be reduced so that farmers cannot irrigate their fields.Many rivers run through national borders，which may cause conflict over precious water.Disputes have been continuing between India and Pakistan，and Turkey，Syria and Iraq，for example.
Dams don't just block the flow of water.They also prevent fish migrations，and dams are a barrier to sediment(沉淀物)flows.Instead of rushing downriver，sediments get backed up against the dam wall，which causes the reservoir level to increase over time.However，sediments which are rich in nutrients have become a problem.The fertility of the entire system can be influenced，with soils lost during seasonal rains not being replaced.
Perhaps the biggest problem can be seen in deltas，which are sinking into the oceans.Groundwater is being extracted to feed the city，causing the city to sink，and sediments washed away by the ocean are no longer being replaced.The result is that sea level rises in cities from Shanghai to Alexandria.The Hoover Dam is mentioned in the passage in order to show________.
| A．dams play an important role in our life |
| B．dams have impacted the flow of the rivers |
| C．dams make people lose their land and houses |
| D．dams have many benefits as well as side effects |
What effects does creating a reservoir have on people's life?
a．People will see fewer birds on the sides of the rivers.
b．Farmers will have less water to irrigate their fields.
c．Visitors can't visit some cultural relics any more.
d．More conflicts and wars over water will break out.
e．More kinds of fish will become extinct in future.
| A．a，c | B．c，e |
| C．b，e | D．b，c |
With many dams built across the rivers，fish ________.
| A．will find more places to lay their eggs |
| B．will face a dangerous habitat |
| C．will be fed on more sediments rich in nutrients |
| D．will find it easier to deal with the rise of water |
How can dams influence large cities like Shanghai?
| A．Their entire system will be influenced. |
| B．The rainy season will last longer. |
| C．They will lie below sea level in future. |
| D．Rich soils will be washed away. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Environmental loss of dams. |
| B．Cultural loss of dams. |
| C．Economic gain of dams. |
| D．Environmental benefits of dams. |
Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil.It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste.Farmers may keep the remains of maize or other crops on top of the soil.This creates mulch on the soil surface.The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage.Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants.It also helps keep the soil from getting dry, and reduces the need for watering plants.It also limits temperature changes in the soil.And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds，from growing.
Organic mulch improves the condition of soil.As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard.This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil.It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants.It also provides a good environment for earthworms and other helpful organisms in the soil.
It is easy to find organic mulch materials.Cutup leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used.Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from newspapers works well in controlling weeds.
The best time to add mulch depends on your goal.Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air.This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result，mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer.In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil.The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives.Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter.Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem.The animals will probably find another place to live.The author tells us the following EXCEPT________.
| A．what mulch is and its benefits |
| B．the best time to add mulch |
| C．what can be mulched on the soil surface |
| D．the bad effects of mulch |
The following can be used as organic materials to make mulch EXCEPT________.
| A．tree barks | B．cutup leaves |
| C．grass cuttings | D．plastic |
Which of the following is the benefit of mulch?
| A．Protecting the soil against wind and water damage. |
| B．Keeping the soil wet and reducing the need for watering plants. |
| C．Reducing temperature changes in the soil and stopping unwanted weeds growing. |
| D．All of the above. |
The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that organic mulch can________.
| A．improve the condition of soil |
| B．improve the ability of the soil to hold water |
| C．provide a good environment for earthworms |
| D．improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the |
soilFrom the last paragraph, we know ________.
| A．the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer |
| B．the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives |
| C．the best time to add mulch depends on weather |
| D．choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals |
Steven Jobs was born on February 24,1955，in San Francisco，California，and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs.In 1961 the family moved to Mountain View, California.At that time people started to refer to the area as “Silicon Valley”．
As a child, Jobs preferred doing things by himself, not interested in team sports or other group activities.He enrolled in the HewlettPackard Explorer Club. There he saw his first computer at the age of twelve. He was very impressed, and knew right away that he wanted to work with computers.
At that time almost all computers were so large that one could fill a room, and so costly that individuals could not afford to buy them.Advances in electronics, however, meant that the parts of a computer were getting smaller and the power of the computer was increasing.
By 1980 the personal computer era was well underway.Apple was continually forced to improve its products to remain ahead, as more competitors entered the marketplace. Apple introduced the Apple Ⅲ， but the new model suffered technical and marketing problems.It was removed from the market.
Early in 1983 Jobs unveiled the Lisa.It did not sell well，however, because it was more expensive than personal computers sold by competitors.Apple's biggest competitor was International Business Machines (IBM). By 1983 it was estimated that Apple had lost half of its market share ( part of an industry's sales that a specific company has) to IBM.
In 1984 Apple introduced a revolutionary new model, the Macintosh.The Macintosh did not sell well to businesses，however.It lacked features other personal computers had, such as a corresponding high quality printer. The failure of the Macintosh signaled the beginning of Jobs's downfall at Apple.
Late in 1988 the NeXT computer was introduced, aimed at the educational market.The product was very userfriendly，and had a fast processing speed, excellent graphics displays，and an outstanding sound system.Despite the warm reception，however, the NeXT machine never caught on. It was too costly, had a blackandwhite screen, and could not be linked to other computers or run common software.When did Steven Jobs first get the chance to catch sight of a computer?
| A．In 1955. | B．In 1961. |
| C．In 1967. | D．In 1980. |
Which of the following statements is RIGHT?
| A．All the computes used to be large enough to fill a room. |
| B．Before 1980, Apple was not successful in the field of personal computers. |
| C．Steven Jobs was born in Silicon Valley. |
| D．Apple and IBM competed for sales of personal computers. |
According to the passage, the Apple Ⅲ________.
| A．was popular among the young people |
| B．turned out to be a failure |
| C．caused more competitors to come into the market |
| D．could be linked to a printer |
Which of the following leads to Jobs's downfall at Apple?
| A．The Apple Ⅲ. | B．The Macintosh |
| C．The NeXT. | D．The Lisa. |
One of the reasons why the NeXT computer didn't become popular is that ________.
| A．few people could afford it |
| B．it was not fast enough |
| C．it was not easy to use |
| D．it lacked super sound system |