The most frightening words in the English language are, “Our computer is down.” You hear it more and more when you are on business. The other day I was at the airport waiting for a ticket to Washington and the girl in the ticket office said, “I’m sorry, I can’t sell you a ticket. Our computer is down.”
“If your computer is down, just write me out a ticket.”
“I can’t write you out a ticket. The computer is the only one allowed to do so.”
I looked down on the computer and every passenger was just standing there drinking coffee and staring at the black screen. Then I asked her, “What do all you people do?”
“We give the computer the information about your trip, and then it tells us whether you can fly with us or not.”
“So when it goes down, you go down with it.”
“That’s good, sir.”
“How long will the computer be down?” I wanted to know.
“I have no idea. Sometimes it’s down for 10 minutes, sometimes for two hours. There’s no way we can find out without asking the computer, and since it’s down it won’t answer us.”
After the girl told me they had no backup(备用) computer, I said. “Let’s forget the computer. What about your planes? They’re still flying, aren’t they?”
“I couldn’t tell without asking the computer.”
“Maybe I could just go to the gate and ask the pilot if he’s flying to Washington, ” I suggested.
“I wouldn’t know what gate to send you to. Even if the pilot was going to Washington, he couldn’t take you if you didn’t have a ticket.”
“Is there any other airline flying to Washington within the next few hours?”
“I wouldn’t know, ” she said, pointing at the dark screen. “Only ‘IT’ knows. ‘It’ can’t tell me.”
By this time there were quite a few people standing in lines. The word soon spread to other travelers that the computer was down. Some people went white, some people started to cry and still others kicked their luggage.The best title for the article is _______.
| A．When the Computer Is Down |
| B．The Most Frightening Words |
| C．The Computer of the Airport |
| D．Asking the Computer |
What could the girl in the ticket office do for the passengers without asking the computer?
| A．She could sell a ticket. |
| B．She could write out a ticket. |
| C．She could answer the passengers’ questions. |
| D．She could do nothing. |
Why do you think they had not a backup computer?
| A．Because it was easy down |
| B．Because it was very expensive. |
| C．Because it was not advanced enough. |
| D．Because it was not as big as the main computer. |
The last paragraph suggests that _______.
| A．a modern computer won’t be down. |
| B．computers can take the place of humans |
| C．sometimes a computer may bring suffering to people |
| D．there will be great changes in computers |
In 1896, Einstein went to Zurich to study physics. There he met a girl from Hungary. They studied in the same class and the same interest in physics brought them together and they became good friends. Before long they fell in love. In 1903 when Einstein was 24, he married Merits, who was 4 years older than he.
After their marriage, Einstein devoted himself to the research of the great theory. To give her husband more help, Merits gave up her own work, and became a good wife and assistant. She tried her best to encourage him whenever possible. She was sure that her husband would succeed. They often discussed the theory while walking outside or sitting together in the room. They even did that in their letters when one of them was away from their home.
In1914, Einstein moved to Berlin and settled down there. At that time his theory proved to be correct and he had become famous all over the world. But it was not long before the First Would War broke out. Merits as well as her two sons, who were on holiday in Switzerland, couldn’t come back to Berlin any more. The war not only stopped Einstein’s work but also broke up the warm, happy family. In 1919, Einstein and Merits had to get divorced(离婚).In which year was Merits born? ___
| A．1896 | B．1875 | C．1883 | D．1879 |
We can learn from the passage that Merits ______.
| A．greatly helped Einstein with his research work |
| B．supported Einstein but helped him little |
| C．was also a great scientist |
| D．was the real discoverer of the theory |
The underline phrase "settled down" in the last paragraph means _____.
| A．to become restless |
| B．solve problems |
| C．decide to leave |
| D．to begin living a stable and orderly life |
Why did Einstein and Merits get divorced?
| A．Because Merits didn’t love Einstein after the war broke out. |
| B．Because Einstein was famous all over the world. |
| C．Because Einstein only cared about his research. |
| D．Because the war stopped Merits from coming back to Berlin. |
The writer wanted to tell us that _____.
| A．Merits should be respected as greatly as her husband |
| B．We should remember Merits when talking about Einstein’ theory |
| C．The bitter (苦难的) suffering was the mother of success |
| D．Einstein suffered a great deal in his life |
For years scientists have been worried about the effects of air pollution on the earth's natural conditions. Some believe the air inside many houses may be more dangerous than the air outside.
Most scientists agree that every modern house has some kind of indoor pollution. People began to notice the problem in the early 1970s. When builders began making houses and offices, they did not want to waste energy. To do this they built buildings that limited the flow of air between inside and outside. They also used man－made building materials which are now known to let out harmful gases.
As the problem became more serious, scientists began searching for a way to deal with it. They discovered a natural pollution control system for building green plants.
Scientists believe that a plant's leaves absorb the pollutants (污染物). In exchange the plant lets out oxygen through its leaves. Studies of different plants show that each absorbs different chemicals. So the most effective way to clean the air is to use different kinds of plants.Indoor air pollution may be more dangerous than the air outside mainly because .
| A．the building are too high |
| B．the flow of air indoor is limited |
| C．the building materials are harmful |
| D．people don't want to waste energy |
Some kind of indoor pollution can be found in .
| A．all kinds of offices | B．all kinds of houses |
| C．every modern house | D．every old house |
In the last paragraph the word“ absorb” may mean .
| A．take in | B．bring up | C．give out | D．turn into |
Scientists believe that plants can.
| A．change oxygen into pollutants |
| B．absorb all the pollutants |
| C．make your houses more prettier |
| D．absorb pollutions and let out oxygen |
According to the last paragraph, we should to clean the air.
| A．plant all kinds of plant |
| B．plant more trees. |
| C．have the same kind of plant |
| D．have different kinds of plants |
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet (彗星) is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our plant, but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.
On 17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth’s atmosphere(大气层) with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed. Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned.
Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina. Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains. The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes. Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, and temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. The sun won’t be seen again for many years. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later, no more than 10 million remain alive.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space. The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?What is mainly described in the passage?
| A．An event of imagination. |
| B．A scientific adventure. |
| C．A research on space. |
| D．A historic discovery. |
When the first piece hits the South Atlantic , it causes _____
| A．an earthquake | B．damages to cities |
| C．an Earth explosion | D．huge waves |
Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long?
| A．Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the earth. |
| B．Because the land is covered with water |
| C．Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero. |
| D．Because wars break out among countries. |
By giving the example of dinosaurs, the author tries to prove______
| A．the Earth could be hit by other objects in space |
| B．what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story |
| C．the human beings will die out in 2094 |
| D．animals could not live in the cold climate |
We may guess that the writer is ______________.
| A．worried | B．practical |
| C．a scientist | D．full of imagination |
Tayka Hotel de Sal
Where：Tahua，Bolivia
How much：About $95 a night
Why it’s cool：You’ve stayed at hotels made of brick or wood，but salt？That’s something few can claim. Tayka Hotel de Sal is made totally of salt—including the beds (though you’ll sleep on regular mattresses(床垫) and blankets)．The hotel sits on the Salar de Uyuni，a prehistoric driedup lake which is the world’s biggest salt flat. Builders use the salt from the 4,633squaremile flat to make the bricks，and glue them together with a paste (糊) of wet salt that hardens when it dries.When rain starts to dissolve the hotel，the owners just mix up more salt paste to strengthen the bricks.
Green Magic Nature Resort
Where：Vythiri，India
How much：About $240 a night
Why it’s cool：Taking a pulley(滑轮)operated lift 86 feet to your treetop room is just the start of your adventure.As you look out of your open window—there is no glass！—you watch monkeys and birds in the rain forest canopy(罩篷)．Later you might test your fear of heights by crossing the handmade rope bridge to the main part of the hotel，or just sit on your bamboo bed and read.You don’t even have to come down for breakfast—the hotel will send it up on the pulleydrawn “elevator”．
Dog Bark Park Inn B&B
Where：Cottonwood，Idaho
How much：$92 a night
Why it’s cool：This doghouse isn’t just for the family pet. Sweet_Willy is a 30foottall dog with guest rooms in his belly. Climb the wooden stairs beside his hind leg to enter the door in his side.You can relax in the main bedroom，go up a few steps of the loft(阁楼) in Willy’s head，or hang out inside his nose.Although you have a full private bathroom in your quarters，there is also a toilet in the 12foottall fire hydrant(消防栓) outside.
Gamirasu Cave Hotel
Where：Ayvali，Turkey
How much：Between $130 and $475 a night
Why it’s cool：This is caveman cool！Experience what it was like 5,000 years ago，when people lived in these mountain caves formed by volcanic ash.But your stay will be much more modern.Bathrooms and electricity provide what you expect from a modern hotel，and the white volcanic ash，called tufa，keeps the rooms cool，about 65in summer.(Don’t worry—there is heat in winter.)
| A．It is located on a prehistoric lake. |
| B．It should be protected against the rain. |
| C．Everything in the hotel is made of salt. |
| D．You have to cross a rope bridge to the hotel. |
| A．Being expensive. |
| B．Being comfortable. |
| C．Being natural. |
| D．Being unique. |
A．The name of the hotel.
B．The name of the hotel owner.
C．The building of Dog Bark Park Inn B&B.
D．The name of a pet dog of the hotel owner.
A．Tayka Hotel de Sal.
B．Green Magic Nature Resort.
C．Dog Bark Park Inn B&B.
D．Gamirasu Cave Hotel.
There are thousands of products of all colors and shapes in a supermarket, making you believe that they are worth a try. How? Packaging is the silent but persuading salesman.
There on the shelves, each bottle, can ,box, and jar has been carefully designed and measured to speak to the inner self of the consumer, because he/she is buying not only a product but also his/her belief in life. Scientists have studied consumer behavior recently and found that the look of the package has a great effect on the “quality” of the product and on how well it sells, because “consumers generally cannot tell between a product and its package. Many products are packages and many packages are products.”, as Louis Cheskin, the first social scientist studying consumers’ feelings for packaging, noticed.
Colors are one of the best tools in packaging. Studies of eye movement have shown that colours draw human attention quickly. Take V8 for example. For many years, the bright red color of tomatoes and carrots on the thin bottle makes you feel that is it very good for your body. And the word “green” today can keep food prices going up.
Shapes are another attraction. Circles often suggest happiness and peacefulness, because these shapes are pleasing to both the eye and the heart. That’s why the round yellow M signs of McDonald’s are inviting to both young and old.
This new consumer response to the colors and shapes of packages reminds producers and sellers that people by to satisfy both body and soul.
| A．the pleasing color of the package |
| B．he special taste of the product |
| C．the strange shape of the package |
| D．the belief in the product |
A. bring excitement to the consumers
B. attract the consumers’ attention
C. catch the eye movement of the consumers
D produce a happy and peaceful feeling
| A．starting to notice the importance of new food |
| B．enjoying the beauty of nature more than before |
| C．beginning to like green vegetables |
| D．paying more attention to their health |
A vegetable dish B. healthy juice
C. iced drinkD red vegetable