Today, when a fire breaks out, you can be sure a citizen with a cell-phone camera has posted it to Facebook or Twitter, or sent it to the media. But up to now, that citizen has not been able to easily send images and details of what is happening to the people who need it most: police, firefighters and building-security people who must respond, and whose ability to help is often measured in minutes, if not seconds.
That's about to change. A one-year old company called Elerts has developed a system that's designed to mobile and social technologies to speed the flow of information between citizens and emergency workers in time of danger. The system involves free mobile applications—iPhone and iPad app（应用软件）is available now—that eyewitnesses can use to report incidents and get public-safety warnings. And Elerts is offering a management console（控制台）for security firms and universities to receive the reports and distribute warnings and instructions, like a map with the best evacuation route（疏散路线）.
The service is the brainchild of Chris Russo, deputy fire chief in the coastal town of Hull, Mass. As mobile communications sped up, he grew increasingly frustrated by his inability to communicate effectively with colleagues and the public, particularly with people who are at the scene and might be able to provide help.
"Remembering situations when communications failed puts a pit in my stomach," Mr. Russo says. Last summer, he was in a search at a beach for a missing boy, who went into a bathhouse but didn't come out. First responders feared an abduction （绑架） on the beach or shark attack. The child's mother, who didn't speak English well, was so sad that she couldn't remember what color shorts he had on. Mr. Russo had no photo of the child, and no ability to turn to beachgoers.
Two long hours later, the boy was spotted by a low-flying helicopter lost and alone on the beach crying—a lucky break. "If 5 percent of beachgoers had an app to receive a message and send in sightings of a lost boy, the happy ending might have come much sooner," Mr. Russo said.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A moving story of Chris Russo． | B．An app for reporting emergency． |
| C．A cell-phone instant service． | D．An app for firm management． |
What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 most probably mean?
| A．Makes me feel frustrated． | B．Causes a stomachache． |
| C．Arouses my interest． | D．Leaves a hole in my stomach． |
We can infer from the passage that emergency workers ____．
| A．have to carry out rescue work in minutes |
| B．must send images and details immediately |
| C．need images and detailed information badly |
| D．have to turn to Facebook and Twitter for details |
The author takes Chris Russo's experience as an example to ____．
| A．advertise his creativity in communication |
| B．show readers the working principle of the new system |
| C．make the passage more interesting to read |
| D．inform readers how Russo got the idea of the service |
Animals can move from place to place, but plants cannot. When an animal is under attack, it can run away or fight back. Plants certainly cannot run away, and they lack teeth and claws. But plants can defend (保护) themselves by using both physical and chemical means.
Some plants have their own ways to keep animals away. For example, the leaves of the holly plant have sharp spines (刺) that discourage grass-eating animals. Holly leaves on lower branches have more spines than leaves on upper branches. This is because the lower leaves are easier for most animals to reach.
Some plants, such as the oak tree, have thick and hard leaves that are difficult for animals to eat. Some grasses may contain a sandy material; eating such grasses wears down the animal's teeth.
Many plants also have chemical defenses. Some plants produce chemicals that taste bitter or cause an unpleasant reaction. Some plants may fight against an attack by increasing the production of these chemicals. When a caterpillar (毛虫) bites a tobacco leaf, the leaf produces a chemical messenger. This messenger sends to the roots the information to produce more nicotine. The higher levels of nicotine discourage the caterpillar.
Many plants depend on both physical and chemical defenses. A certain plant in China, for instance, has prickly (多刺的) leaves, and each prickle contains poisonous venom (毒液) A single experience with this kind of plant will teach an animal to stay away from it in the future.To defend themselves, oak trees use________.
| A．chemical means | B．physical means |
| C．bitter chemicals | D．sandy materials |
How does tobacco protect itself against an attack from a caterpillar?
| A．Its leaves fight against the attack by physical means. |
| B．Its roots send a messenger to discourage the caterpillar. |
| C．Its roots increase the production of nicotine when it is attacked. |
| D．Its leaves produce poisonous sand to drive the caterpillar away. |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Plants and Animals |
| B．How Plants Defend Themselves |
| C．Attacks and Defenses |
| D．How Animals Eat Plant Leaves |
Jane Austen, a famous English writer, was born in Steventon, Hampshire, on December 16, 1775, and died on July 18,1817. She began writing early in life, although the prejudices(偏见)of her times forced her to have her books published anonymously.(匿名).
But Jane Austen is perhaps the best known and best loved of Bath’s many famous local people and visitors. She paid two long visits during the last five years of the eighteenth century and from 1801 to 1806, Bath was her home. Her deep knowledge of the city is fully seen in two of her novels, Northanger Addey and Persuasion, which are largely set in Bath. The city is still very much as Jane Austen knew it, keeping its streets and public buildings the well—ordered world that she described so well in her novels. Now the pleasure of learning Jane Austen’s Bath can be enhanced (增强)by visiting the Jane Austen Center in Gay Street. Here, in a Georgian town house in the heart of the city, you can find out more about Bath in Jane Austen’s time and the importance of Bath in her life and work.
The Center has been set up with the help and guidance of members of the Jane Austen Society. After your visit to the Center, you can look round the attractive shop, which offers a huge collection of Jane Austen related books, cards and many specially designed gifts. Jane Austen quizzes are offered to keep the children busy.
You can also have walking tours of Jane Austen’s Bath, which is a great way to find out more about Jane Austen and discover the wonderful Georgian city of Bath. The tour lasts about one and a half hours. The experienced guides will take you to the places where Jane lived, walked and shopped.Jane Austen paid two long visits to Bath__________ .
| A．in her early twenties | B．in her early teens |
| C．in her late twenties | D．in her late teens |
What can we learn about Bath from the passage? .
| A．Bath has greatly changed since Jane Austen’s death. |
| B．The city has changed as much as Jane Austen knew it. |
| C．Bath remains almost the same as in Jane Austen’s time. |
| D．No changes have taken place in Bath since Austen’s time. |
The author writes this passage in order to _____________.
| A．attract readers to visit the city of bath |
| B．ask readers to buy Austen’s books |
| C．tell readers about Jane Austen’s experience |
| D．give a brief introduction to the Jane Austen Society |
After you have visited the Center, you can get the following things EXCEPT________.
| A．books about Austen and her family life |
| B．cards and gifts that have something to do with Austen |
| C．the quizzes written by Austen to keep the children busy |
| D．the books written by the other writers about Austen |
In 1901，H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book describing a trip to the moon. When the explorers landed on the moon, they discovered that the moon was full of underground cities. They expressed their surprise to the “moon people” they met. In turn, the “moon people” expressed their surprise. “Why,” they asked, “are you traveling to outer space when you don’t even use your inner space?”
H.G. Wells could only imagine travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings really did land on the moon. People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question that the “moon people” asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about it.
Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The “Channel”，a tunnel connecting England and France, is now complete.
But what about underground cities? Japan’s Taisei Corporation is designing a network of underground systems, called “Alice Cities”. The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome would cover the whole city.
Supporters of underground development say that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth’s space. The space, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens, and wilderness. H.G. Wells “moon people” would agree. Would you?The explorers in H.G. Well’s story were surprised to find that the “moon people”.
| A．knew so much about the earth |
| B．understood their language |
| C．lived in so many underground cities |
| D．were ahead of them in space technology |
What sorts of underground system are already here with us?
| A．Offices, shopping areas, power stations |
| B．Tunnels, car parks, shopping areas |
| C．Gardens, car parks, power stations |
| D．Tunnels, gardens, offices |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Alice Cities—cities of the future |
| B．Space travel with H.G. Wells |
| C．Enjoy living underground |
| D．Building down, not up |
Once there was an old man in a town. He always forgot a lot of things. So his wife always had to say to him, “Don’t forget this!”
One day he went on a long trip alone. Before he left home, his wife said, “Now you have all these things. They are what you need for your trip. Take care of your things during the trip.” He went to the station, bought a ticket and got on the train with it.
About half an hour later, the conductor began to see the tickets. He came to the old man and said, “Will you please show me your ticket?” The old man looked for his ticket in all his pockets, but he could not find it. He was very worried. “I can’t find my ticket. I really bought a ticket before I got on the train.” said the old man.
“I believe you bought a ticket. All right, you don’t have to buy another one,” said the conductor kindly. “But how can I know where I’m going? – I can’t remember my station!”the old man said sadly.The old man in the story was very ______.
| A．kind | B．poor | C．forgetful | D．sad |
Where is the ticket? _______
| A．The old man forgot to buy it. |
| B．The old man could not remember where it was. |
| C．The old man showed it to the conductor. |
| D．The old man’s wife took the ticket away. |
The old bought the ticket _____ he got on the train.
| A．after | B．before | C．as | D．when |
The conductor ______ the old man.
| A．didn’t believe | B．laughed at | C．believed | D．felt sorry for |
The old man was sad because _______
| A．he had to buy another ticket. |
| B．he lost all the things his wife gave him. |
| C．he did not know where he was. |
| D．he did not know where he should get off. |
Every day when I enter the classroom, I will take a look at the wall beside my seat. You will find nothing special about this old wall if you just look at it. But for the students in my class, it is a special wall. Take a good look at it, and you will get to know the real feelings and thoughts of us, the 9th graders.
In the middle of the wall, there is a big "VICTORY". It was written in pencil. I guess it must have been written by someone who got a good mark in an exam.
A little higher above the formulas, there is a poem. It only has two sentences. It reads: All those sweet memories have disappeared. Like tears dropping in the heavy rain. Oh! It must have been written at the end of the last semester in middle school. Classmates had to leave school and good friends had to part. What a sad poem!
If you "explore" the wall more carefully, you will find many other interesting things, like a crying face, or a happy face, and other patterns(图案). There are still some patterns and letters that I can't understand, but they all show the feeling of the students who drew them.
For years, the wall has witnessed(目睹) all the things that have happened in the classroom. I don't know how it will be next year, two years from now, or even ten years from now. But I hope more smiling faces will be drawn on it.There is ____ special on this wall.
| A．something | B．anything | C．nothing | D．everything |
What was the "VICTORY" written in?
| A．Chalk | B．Pencil | C．Pen | D．Brush |
When has the poem been written?
| A．At the beginning of the last semester. |
| B．At the end of the year. |
| C．At the end of the last semester. |
| D．At the beginning of the last month. |
What's the meaning of the underlined word?
| A．部分 | B．分离 | C．和好 | D．聚集 |
What's the title of the passage?
| A．The Pictures of the Wall |
| B．The Feelings of the Students |
| C．The Patterns of the Classroom |
| D．The Hope of the Writer |