You know Australia is a big country, but you may not know how easy it is to get around. The untouched beaches that go for miles and deserts that touch the horizon are just there, waiting to be reached and explored. The following are the different ways you can explore our vast country.
Getting around Australia:
Air
Flying is the best way to cover a long distance in a short time. Moreover, competition among airlines makes great flying fees available for you.
Drive
Australia has a vast network of well-maintained roads and some of the most beautiful touring routes in the world. It’s easy for you to find car rental companies at major airports, central city locations, suburbs and attractions.
Bus
Bus travel in Australia is comfortable, easy and economical. Buses generally have air conditioning, reading lights, adjustable seats and videos. Services are frequent, affordable and efficient.
Rail
Train travel is the cheapest and gives you an insight into Australia’s size and variety. Scheduled services are a great way to get quickly between our cities and regional centers.
Ferry
The Spirit of Tasmania runs a passenger and vehicle ferry service between Melbourne and Tasmania nightly. Extra services are running during summer rush hours. Ferries connect suburbs in our capital cities.
Walk
With easy on the feet pedestrian streets, walking is a great way to get around our cities.
Besides all the above, you can also experience some of the longest tracks and trails in the world in central Australia—impressive journeys of a thousand kilometers or more that can take several weeks to complete.The underlined word “untouched” in the 1st paragraph means __________.
| A．unmoved | B．special |
| C．unpolluted | D．unconnected |
Which of the following is TRUE about traveling in Australia?
| A．More travelers make the flying fees among airlines higher than before. |
| B．You can easily rent a car to explore its most beautiful touring routes. |
| C．Taking a bus tour is the most comfortable, economical and efficient way. |
| D．Train services can offer you more comfort than any other means of transport. |
Ferry service between Melbourne and Tasmania usually runs __________.
| A．only at night hours | B．only during rush hours |
| C．several times a day | D．between different cities |
Where does the article come from?
| A．Scientific journal | B．Magazine |
| C．Travel Guide | D．Text Book |
If you have only 5 days and want to visit Australia’s famous attractions that are far away from each other, which way of traveling least suits you?
| A．By air. | B．By car. |
| C．By bus. | D．On foot. |
Hunting with birds is a very old sport. In some countries the golden eagle is used for hunting wild animals. They are used for hunting foxes and wolves.
Training an eagle to hunt takes a long time. Hunters catch young eagles in nets made of hair. After being trained the eagle is taken to a field. A blindfold over the bird’s eyes keeps it quiet until the hunter is ready.
The eagle sits in the arm of the hunter. The hunter’s arm is covered with a long, special glove to protect it from the sharp claws of the bird. In the field, as soon as the hunter sees a fox or a wolf, he removes the blindfold. The eagle quickly flies into the air and began to look for the wild animal.
The eagle sees the animal and catches it with claws like steel. Its beak and claws are strong enough to hold the animal. Usually, the bird carries the animal back to the hunter. Sometimes fast animals with good eyes can get away.
61.A hunting eagle is trained when_________.
A.it is still young B.it is taken to a field
C.its eyes are covered with a blindfold
D.the hunter is ready
62.Hunters use nets made of hair to ________.
A.train young foxes B.catch young wolves
C.train young eagles D.catch young eagles
63.The trained eagle_______.
A.carries the hunter home
B.wears a blindfold when hunting an animal
C.is covered with a long, special glove
D.has strong claws like steel
64.A hunter wears a special glove to _______.
A.protect his arm from the sharp claws of a trained eagle
B.protect his arm from the sharp claws of a young fox
C.protect his arm from the sharp claws of a young wolf
D.protect his arm from the sharp claws of wild animals
65.According to the text, which of the following is true?
A.Fast animals with sharp eyes are sometimes difficult to catch
B.As soon as the blindfold is removed, the eagle flies into a tree
C.Hunters always blindfold young eagles before training them.
D.Sometimes hunters train young foxes they have caught.
Researchers are placing robotic dogs (机器狗) in the homes of lonely people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people’s depression, physical activity, and left satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated (刺激),” Edwards points out. “ The problem is how we promote (使成为现实) that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution.”
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect baseline data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the researchers will review the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady, “When I’m watching TV, he’ll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has a mind of his own.”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not funny,” Beck says. “But it’s amazing how quickly we have given up that belief.”
“Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people’s minds.”
48. The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to ______.
A. understand human-animal relationship
B. make lonely old people’s life better
C. find the causes of old people’s loneliness
D. promote the animal-assisted research
49. What is the advantage of AIBO over live dogs?
A. It is easier to keep at home. B. It can help the disabled people.
C. It responds to all the human orders D. It can watch TV with its owner.
50. The author seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may_____.
A. cure certain diseases
B. keep old people active
C. change people’s beliefs
D. look more like real dogs
The geographical location of a country and its physical characteristics are very important to its development and progress. he United States is very fortunate in this respect.
First of all, it has a good climate. In almost all sections of the country it is possible to live comfortably during the whole year. It is true that in the south it sometimes gets very hot, and in the north very cold. But the people who live in these regions become accustomed to the climate and never suffer very much when the weather is either very hot or very cold.
In a large country there is usually a great variety of different physical characteristics. In the United States, there are wide plains and high mountains, thousands of lakes and rivets of all sizes, cool forests and hot deserts, and a coastline several thousand miles long.
The many lakes and rivers, as well as the long coastline, have been of great importance to the development of the country, since they made possible the easy transportation of people and all the things people need. Transportation by water is still necessary and important. In modern times, however, trains, automobiles, trucks and airplanes are doing much of the work which was formerly done by ships and boats.
44．What are the principal physical characteristics of the United States？
A．Almost the same． B．Rather various．
C．Very good for farming． D．Suitable for transportation．
45．In what respect is the United States very fortunate？
A．Geographical location． B．Good climate．
C．Physical characteristics． D．Both A and C．
46．Why are rivers，lakes and coastlines important to the development of the U. S. A？
A．They make the climate better．
B．They provide people with a good many opportunities of employment．
C．They provide people with good transportation and whatever they need．
D．They make the scenery of the country more beautiful and attractive．
47．What was used for transportation in the distant past in the U. S. A. ?
A．Trains． B．Trucks．
C．Planes． D．Ships and boats．
London Underground
The world’s first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time, the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages to get through. The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day. If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to go to and from work, they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This would help ease(减轻) the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems, the idea of the London Underground, the first subway system was born.
The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays, but the fast track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the fast underground track which was 6 kilometers (3. 7 miles) long. About 30,000 people got on the subway the first day. Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not allowed), and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However, the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot(煤灰), as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems, riding in the Underground did catch on. It carried 9 million riders in its first year.
40. What led the British government to build the London Underground？
A. Traffic jams and pollution.
B. Population and pollution.
C. Overcrowding and traffic jams.
D. The poverty and subway problems.
41. How did the London Underground solve the smoke problem？
A. It made the tunnels larger.
B. It put fans in the tunnels.
C. It cleaned the chemical gases in the tunnels.
D. It reduced the number of passengers riding in the train.
42. The underlined phrase “catch on” most probably means “______”.
A. be troublesome
B. become popular and fashionable
C. keep up with
D. seize
43. Which of the following is TRUE？
A. To relocate the workers’ homes outside London，the government built the subway.
B. There were so many problems and delays that in 18th century the first subway opened.
C. The subway greatly eased the pressure of traffic.
D. There were not enough seats for the passengers the first day the subway opened.
Einstein was born in 1879 in Germany. As a child, he was slow to learn to talk. As a pupil, he was backward. But when he was fourteen years old, he became clever. He taught himself maths from textbooks. He studied hard because he wanted to be a physicist.
In 1901, Einstein began teaching. In 1902 he continued his studies at the University of Zurich. Several years later, he formulated(系统地阐述)his famous Theory of Relativity(相对论).To most people the law of relativity is difficult to explain. But once Einstein explained it to a group of young students. He said,” When you sit with a good girl for two hours, you think it is only a minute. But when you sit on a hot stove for a minute, you think it's two hours. That is relativity."
After Hitler came into power in Germany, Einstein went to America. In 1940 Einstein became an American citizen. In 1955, Einstein's life ended at the age of seventy-six.
36. When Einstein was a pupil of twelve, he _______.
A. was not quick in learning to talk B. was poor in his studies
C. studied very hard D. hardly lagged behind
37. The law of relativity is_______ .
A. very hard for most people to understand
B. too hard for Einstein himself to explain
C. too hard to explain to anybody except Einstein
D. easy to understand only for the young students
38. Which of the following do you think is true?
A. The Germans owed their scientific progress to Einstein.
B. The Americans owed all their economic development to Einstein.
C. Einstein owed a great deal to the modern world.
D. Einstein made a very great contribution to modern science.
39. The title for this passage should be " _______ ".
A. Theory of Relativity B. An American Citizen
C. Albert Einstein D. Einstein's Contribution