Something roared like thunder. The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire. ‘‘Father!” Hassan cried. We sprung to our feet and raced out of the living room.
“Father! What’s that sound?” Hassan screamed, his hands outstretched toward Ali. Ali wrapped his arms around us. A white light flashed and lit the sky in silver. It flashed again and was followed by rapid sharp sounds of gunfire.
“They’re hunting ducks, ” Ali said in a hoarse voice. “They hunt ducks at night, you know. Don't be afraid.”
A siren(汽笛)went off in the distance. Somewhere glass broke and someone shouted. I heard people on the street, woken up from sleep. Hassan was crying. Ali pulled him close and held him with tenderness.
We stayed huddled (蜷缩)that way until the early hours of the morning. The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generations of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of the bombs and gunfire were not yet born. Huddled together in the dining room and waiting for the sun to rise, none of us had any idea that a way of life had ended. The end came when Russian tanks were rolling into the very same streets where Hassan and I played, bringing the death of the Afghanistan I knew and marking the start of a still ongoing era of bloodletting.
Just before the sunrise, Baba’s car pulled into the driveway. His door slammed shut and his running footsteps pounded the stairs. Then he appeared in the doorway and I saw something on his face. Something I didn’t recognize right away because I’d never seen it before: fear. “Amir! Hassan!” He cried as he ran to us, opening his arms wide. “They blocked all the roads and the telephone didn’t work. I was so worried!”
We let him wrap us in his arms and, for a brief moment, I was glad about whatever had happened that night.Who is the author of this passage?
A.Amir. | B.Ali. | C.Baba. | D.Hassan. |
By saying “They’re hunting ducks”, Ali _______.
A.told the children the truth | B.played a joke on the children |
C.tried to calm the children | D.cheered the children up |
We can infer from the passage that _______.
A.there were thunderstorms that night |
B.Afghan children were used to the war |
C.people on the street shouted and broke the windows |
D.that night was the end of people's peaceful life |
From the last sentence of the passage, we know _______.
A.Baba's arms gave the author temporary comfort and joy |
B.there was a chance that a world in peace was to come |
C.what happened that night seemed nothing to the author |
D.the author was glad to see his father come home safe |
Detective Keeling took his client—a goodlooking lady into the back yard of the store together. The lady opened a door in the wall and they entered the small room behind the store. They crossed the room to a locked door.
Mr. Keeling took some special keys from his pocket. Moments later, one of the keys unlocked the door. The lady went into the store. She said she would hide under the table to keep watch on her husband. Mr. Keeling did not follow her.
The detective went quickly to the policeman’s house. Then the two men hurried to the jewellery store. They looked through the window. The policeman was surprised. He spoke to Mr. Keeling, “I don’t understand. You told me, ‘Robbins took a young woman to a restaurant.’ Where is she?”
“There she is!” said Mr. Keeling. He pointed through the window.
“Do you know the lady with Robbins?” asked the policeman.
“That’s his secret friend,” said Mr. Keeling.
“No! You’re wrong! That’s Robbins’ wife,” said the policeman. “I’ve known her for fifteen years.”
“What?” the detective shouted. His face became pale. “Who is under the table in the store?” He started to kick the door of the jewellery store. Mr. Robbins came to the door and opened it. The policeman and the detective ran into the store.
“Look under that table!” shouted the detective. “Be quick!”
The policeman lifted the cloth and put his arm under the table. He pulled out a black dress, a black veil and a woman’s wig(假发).
“Is this young lady your wife?” Mr. Keeling asked the jeweller. He pointed at the woman.
“Yes! She is my wife!” said Mr. Robbins angrily. “Why did you kick my door? Why are those clothes under my table?”
“Please check all the jewellery in your store, Mr. Robbins,” the policeman said. “Is anything missing?”
Some diamond rings and some expensive necklaces were missing. The missing jewellery was worth $800. Later that night, Mr. Keeling was sitting in his office. He was looking through a big book of photographs. They were photographs of criminals. The policeman had brought the book to the detective's office. Suddenly, Mr. Keeling stopped turning the pages. He looked at a picture of a handsome young man with a familiar face.
The next morning, Mr. Keeling paid the jeweller $800, then closed his office.At the beginning, the lady was able to go into the jewellery store because ______.
A.she went to the back yard and found the way |
B.she was the owner of the store and had the key |
C.two men helped her together to enter the store |
D.Mr. Keeling unlocked the back door to the store |
The young lady who stayed with Mr. Robbins in the jewellery store was actually ______.
A.Mr. Robbins’ sister | B.Mr. Robbins’ secret friend |
C.Mr. Robbins’ wife | D.a clever thief |
It can be inferred from the passage that Mr. Keeling cooperated with his client ______.
A.so that he could get some jewellery from the store |
B.because he thought he was helping the lady |
C.because he wanted to play a joke on Mr. Robbins |
D.so that he could get a job as a policeman |
The missing jewellery worth$800 was in fact taken away by ______.
A.a young woman | B.a young man |
C.a detective | D.a policeman |
Bookie’s, the campus bookstore is located at the Campus Activity Centre, main floor.
Bookie’s is the only place in Kamloops to buy your course textbooks. There is a booklist in the bookstore listing the books required for each course. If you need help in finding your course textbooks, ask any of the staff in the bookstore.
There are more than just textbooks at bookie’s. They carry a wide variety of stationary, art supplies and gift items. You can also buy telephone cards, postage stamps and bus passes. You must show your student card to get a discount for the bus passes.
TEXTBOOK RETURNS
1) Do I need my receipt to return books?
Yes.
2) How long do I have to return books?
Books purchased must be returned within ten working days of the date of the purchase.
3) What if I wrote my name in the book?
Unfortunately, we can not give you a full refund for books not in mint condition as publishers will not accept this for credit.
4) What happens if I miss the last day for return?
We may purchase the text book as “used” in accordance with our Buyback program.
5) What if I discover that my book has missing pages half way through the semester?
We will replace the defective books, new or used, for a like copy of that title. Cash refunds are not given for defective books returned outside the normal return dates.
BUYBACKS
1) What books do you buy back?
We buy back all current edition textbooks. If we do not use them at UCC, we buy them back according to the value established in the North American marketplace.
2) How much do I get for my books?
If bookie’s is buying the book for use at UCC, you will receive 50% of the current new retail price. In order to receive optimum buyback price, discs and supplements must accompany the book.
3) What happens to the books that I sell?
Books for bookie’s are processed by our staff and sold to students at 75% of the new retail price.
4) What condition do my books need to be in?
Books should be in good condition, meaning that the cover is still attached and all pages intact. Notes and markings on the pages of the books are perfectly fine. Workbooks and study guides are generally not purchased back unless they are free of all markings. No sales receipt is required for these books.
BOOKSTORE HOURS
Monday–Thursday 9:00am–6:00pm
Friday 9:00am–5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday ClosedThe intended readers of this passage are ______.
A.book dealers | B.university students |
C.publishers | D.campus staff |
The underlined word “defective” can best be replaced by ______.
A.latest | B.perfect | C.brand-new | D.incomplete |
Bookie’s will not buy back your used textbook if ______.
A.the cover of the book is missing |
B.there are markings and notes on the pages |
C.you have lost the sales receipt |
D.you miss the last day for return |
Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A.Bookie’s is a place for students to buy their course textbooks. |
B.Student cards are needed to get a discount for the textbooks. |
C.Books bought in bookie’s should be returned within ten working days. |
D.Books bought back are processed by the staff and sold to students. |
The items which can be bought back don’t include ______.
A.textbooks with markings |
B.workbooks with markings |
C.textbooks with covers and all pages |
D.study guides free of markings |
It was in October. I was aimlessly wandering down the street, heading into a most gloriously beautiful sunset. I had an urge to speak to someone on the street to share that beauty, but it seemed everyone was in a hurry.
I took the next-best action. Quickly I ducked into a department store and asked the lady behind the counter if she could come outside for just a minute. She looked at me as though I were from some other planet. She hesitated, and then seemingly against her better judgment, she moved toward the door.
When she got outside I said to her, “Just look at that sunset! Nobody out here was looking at it and I just had to share it with someone.”
For a few seconds we just looked. Then I said, “God is in his heaven and all is right with the world.” I thanked her for coming out to see it; she went back inside and I left. It felt good to share the beauty.
Four years later my situation changed greatly. I came to the end of a twenty-year marriage. I was alone and on my own for the first time in my life. I lived in a trailer park which, at the time, I considered a real come-down, and I had to do my wash in the community laundry room.
One day, while my clothes were going around, I picked up a magazine and read an article about a woman who had been in similar circumstances. She had come to the end of a marriage, moved to a strange community, and the only job she could find was one she disliked: clothing sales in a department store.
Then something that happened to her changed everything. She said a woman came into her department store and asked her to step outside to look at a sunset. The stranger had said, “God is in his heaven and all is right with the world,” and she had realized the truth in that statement. From that moment on, she turned her life around.The author asked the woman to go outside to ______.
A.admire the sunset | B.cheer her up |
C.offer some help | D.have a chat |
Four years later, the author ______.
A.found her dream job |
B.put an end to her marriage |
C.worked in a laundry room |
D.lived in the same community |
After reading the article in the magazine, the author was probably______.
A.disappointed | B.puzzled |
C.inspired | D.overjoyed |
Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?
a. I shared a few words and beautiful sunset with the woman.
b. The woman I met years ago got into frustration after divorce.
c. I got divorced and felt lost in my life.
d. I came across a beautiful sunset but had no one to share with.
e. The woman felt astonished by the invitation from a stranger.
f. I recognized the woman I met before in the magazine.
A.b, d, e, f, a, c | B.d, e, a, c, f, b |
C.d, e, a, f, b, c | D.b, d, e, a, c, f |
What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Sharing Beauty | B.Never give up |
C.Beauty of Life | D.An Unforgettable experience |
Taking a trip to Philadelphia can be rewarding experience or absolute disasters---it all depends on pre-trip homework. To make planning easier, Huffington Post Travel Series recommends attractions for those planning Philadelphia family vacations.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art
Located on 26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the Philadelphia Museum of Art features more than 225, 000 pieces in its vast collection, dating back to the first century A.D. Guests can discover modern art exhibits, clothing collections gathered throughout time and classic posters. Audio tours are also available.
Price: adults, $ 16; children 12 to 17, $ 12; children 11 and under, free.
The Please Touch Museum
The Please Touch Museum on 4231 Avenue of the Republic offers kids the chance to explore, discover and learn in a fun environment. The museum features six interactive zones where kids and parents are encouraged to play and learn about science, the environment and more. Exhibits include Flight Fantasy, where kids learn about flying machines, and River Adventures, which teaches kids about science, nature and weather.
Price: adults, $15; children under the age of 1, free
The Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo sits on a 42-acre Victorian garden. The zoo features 1,300 animals, including a number of rare and endangered species. While visiting the zoo families can see big cats, zebras, giraffes, endangered turtle species and penguins. The zoo also includes rides for kids, such as a Rainforest Carousel and Camel Safari.
Price: Adults, $ 18; children 2 to 12, $15; children younger than 2, free.
The Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is Philadelphia’s major science museum, and one of the oldest in the United States. The museum offers guests the chance to experience flight simulator(模拟器)and sky bikes. The first floor offers a large Kid Science exhibit, where children discover science through a fictional journey. The second floor features air shows.
Price: Adults, $ 12; children 4 to 11, $12.One of the features of the Philadelphia Museum of Art is that _______.
A.visitors have access to River Adventures |
B.visitors can learn about exhibits using pre-recorded voice introductions |
C.it has the cheapest admission fees for adults |
D.it offers kids tour rides to see more endangered animals |
The Please Touch Museum differs from the others mainly because _______.
A.it boasts a number of rare and endangered species |
B.it has a large collection of clothing |
C.it combines learning with pleasure |
D.it includes a large kid science exhibit |
Teenagers interested in aircraft will most likely to visit both_______.
A.the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Please Touch Museum |
B.the Please Touch Museum and the Franklin Institute |
C.the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute |
D.the Philadelphia Zoo and the Please Touch Museum |
Which group does the Travel Series mainly target?
A.Families with kids |
B.Newly-married couples |
C.Individual visitors |
D.Museum lovers |
Scientists from China, Sweden and the United Stated have developed a high-producing rice that can reduce methane emission(甲烷排放), a major greenhouse gas blamed for global warming, from rice fields, according to a paper published on the latest issue of Nature.
By inserting a barley(大麦) gene into rice, Sun Chuanxin and his colleagues created SUSIBA2 Rice, which stores more starch(淀粉) in the section of the rice above ground, according to a paper published on the latest issue of Nature.This means the grains will have more starch while the root will exude less nutrients that will later be turned into methane by microbes(微生物) in the soil, Sun, who works with Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, told Xinhua.
"It solves two major problems mankind faces at one time: environmental degradation and the need for increased grain output," Wang Feng, another scientist, said, adding that the rice can cut methane discharge by more than 90 percent during summer and more than half during autumn, as "the rice displays a greater emission reduction effect in high temperatures." Meanwhile, small-scale trials have also suggested an increased output: a single plant of the new breed has 300 more grains with a starch content 10 percent higher. Wang said the team is working on applications for the rice in different areas, seasons and using different farming techniques. "It's still far away from mass application, but at least we see the light of hope."
Human-induced methane, though less abundant than carbon dioxide in the air, is responsible for 20 percent of the global warming effect. Rice paddies are the largest single source of methane linked to human activity. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, China produces 209 million tons of rice in 2014, or 28 percent of the world's total of 734 million.SUSIBA2 Rice will be a major breakthrough because _______.
A.it tastes with a barley flavor |
B.it well balances environmental protection and grains increase |
C.it contains more starch than the ordinary rice |
D.it gives off less methane in summer than in winter |
What can we learn from the text?
A.Scientists will soon grow the new rice in large areas |
B.Human-related methane contributes most to global warming |
C.China may contribute greatly to global warming reduction |
D.Rice fields will be reduced all over the world |
The purpose of this writing is to ________.
A.ask people to cut down on their dependence on rice consumption |
B.draw people’s attention to the serious consequences of global warming |
C.introduce a new kind of genetically-modified rice and its possible benefits |
D.indicate human-related methane alone is to blame for global warming effects |