(Reuters) --- A stampede killed at least 36 people during New Year's Eve celebrations in Shanghai, authorities said, but the police denied reports that it was caused by people rushing to pick up fake money thrown from a building overlooking the city's famous waterfront.
It was the worst disaster in the modern city since 58 died in an apartment building fire in 2010.
The cause of the crush has still to be confirmed, though state media and some witnesses have said it was at least partly aroused when people rushed to pick up coupons that looked like bank notes.
A man named Wu said the fake money had been thrown down from a bar above the street as part of the celebrations.
"This incident happened after the stampede," police said in a brief statement, without saying what the real cause was.
Another witness said there had been a problem away from the area where the fake bills were thrown, with people trying to get on to a raised platform overlooking the river.
Xinhua news agency said that people had been trampled on after falling down on the steps up to the platform.
Authorities had shown some concern about crowd control in the days leading up to New Year's Eve. They recently canceled an annual 3D laser show on the Bund, which last year attracted as many as 300,000 people.
On New Year's Eve, Beijing also canceled a countdown event in the central business district, Chinese media said, due to police fears about overcrowding.
The Shanghai government said on its official microblog that an inquiry had begun, and that all other New Year events had been canceled.
In 2004, 37 people died in a stampede in northern Beijing, on a bridge at a scenic spot, during the Lunar New Year holiday.According to the passage, why did people go to the Bund?
| A．To meet their old friends and relatives. |
| B．To celebrate the New Year’s Eve. |
| C．To watch an annual 3D laser show. |
| D．To pick up bank notes. |
What can be inferred according to the passage?
| A．Some possible measures had been taken by authorities. |
| B．People like 3D laser show better than any other events. |
| C．The local government had shown their worry about overcrowding. |
| D．The celebrations in Beijing were influenced by this stampede. |
What’s the passage about?
| A．A countdown event in Beijing. |
| B．A laser show on the Bund. |
| C．An apartment fire in Shanghai. |
| D．A stampede on New Year’s Eve in Shanghai. |
One Canada, Two Languages
Canada is one of the few nations in the world to have two official languages: English and French. There are 10 provinces in the country but only one of these—Quebec is known as “French Canada”. This is because it was founded by French explorers while British adventurers discovered the rest.
Canada left the British empire（帝国） in 1867 to become an independent country, and English and French have been recognized as the official languages ever since.
Most people speak English as their first language and the two national television networks broadcast in English throughout the country. Apart from in Quebec and a few places on the east coast, French television is very rare.
The same goes for traffic signs and menus. For example, outside of Quebec, there are only a few places where you’ll see traffic signs in French. In restaurants, it’s almost impossible to find French on the menu unless you are in the heartland（中心地带）of French Canada. However, all products sold in Canada must, by law, have labels（标签）and instructions in both languages.
In Canada’s English speaking provinces, official bilingualism（双语） means that students can choose to complete a special French language course. Under this programme, they are taught most of their subjects in French.
If a student begins the course in kindergarten（幼儿园） or Grade One, it is likely that all their lessons will be in French. However, if they start at junior high school,25 per cent of the teaching will continue to be in English.How many provinces are there in Canada?
| A．Ten. | B．Nine. | C．Eleven. | D． Two. |
Which country controlled Canada before its independence?
| A．France. | B．Britain. | C．America. | D．Germany. |
Which of the following sentences is right?
| A．English is the only official language, though French is also spoken there. |
| B．The two national television networks broadcast both in English and French. |
| C．All products sold in Canada must, by law, have labels and instructions in both English and French. |
| D．The lessons in kindergarten or Grade One are likely to be only in English. |
Today there are policemen everywhere, but in 1700, London had no policemen at all. A few old
men used to protect the city streets at night and they were not paid.
In 1750, Henry Fielding started to pay a group of people to stop thieves. They were like
policemen and were called "Bow Street Runners" because they worked near Bow Street.
Fifty years later, there were 120 "Bow Street Runners", but London had become very big and
needed more policemen. So in 1829, London Police Force was started with 3,000 officers. Until
1920 all the police in London were men.Who protected London in 1700? (回答词数不超过4个)
When was London Police Force started? ( 回答词数不超过2个)
Are all the London police men now? (回答词数不超过1个)
注意：每空不超过3个单词。
Frederick M. Hess is the director of education policy studies in American. He says that a long summer vacation doesn't make sense in today's world.
In a summer vacation, millions of kids spend valuable time sending messages, watching TV, playing video games and doing shopping in the mall. These activities are putting their futures at risk.
Summer vacation once made sense in the past when you didn't need an education to get a good job. But now things have changed. For today's students, academic(学术的) skills are important to students' future success, but such skills are affected in the summertime. Most American schools offer up to thirteen weeks summer vacation.
Summer vacation also causes challenges for today's families. In the 1960s, more than 60% of families had a stay-at-home Mom. Now two-thirds of American children live in households where every adult works. For these families, summer vacation can be more burden than break. Someone must watch the kids.
“A longer school year does not have to be hard and boring work. Instead, it should allow teachers to give richer and more imaginative lessons,” Frederick M. Hess suggested, “Schools would have more time to devote to athletics, languages, music and the arts”.
Summer vacation can be a grand thing. But in the 21st century, it may also be outdated.
Title: Long Summer Vacation
| Theme |
A |
|
| Basic Information |
Vacation length |
|
| Students’ |
·Sending messages and watching TV ·Playing video games ·Doing shopping |
|
| Disadvantages |
Putting student’s academic futures at risk |
Affect academic |
| Causing challenges for families |
Make parents watch kids at home |
|
| Students should study more imaginative lessons such as athletics, languages, music and the arts. |
||
| Conclusion |
Summer vacation can be both grand and outdated |
Winter is dangerous because it’s so difficult to know what is going to happen and accidents take place so easily. Fog can be waiting to meet you over the top of a hill. Ice might be hiding under the melting (融化) snow, waiting ahead to send you off the road. The car coming to you may suddenly slip（滑） across the road.
Rule No.1 for driving on icy roads is to drive smoothly (平稳地). Sudden movements can make a car very difficult to control. So every time you either start or stop your car, increase or reduce your speed, you must be as gentle and slow as possible. Suppose you are driving with a full cup of hot coffee on the seat next to you. Drive so that you wouldn’t spill (溅) it.
Rule No.2 is to pay attention to what might happen. The more ice there is, the further down the road you have to look. Test how long it takes to gently stop your car. Remember that you may be driving more quickly than you think. Generally, allow twice of your usual stopping distance when the road is wet, three times this distance on snow than usual, and even more on ice. Try to stay in control of your car at all time and you will not get into trouble.The writer tries to _____ in this passage.
| A．show his dislikes about bad winter weather |
| B．give information about winter weather |
| C．ask people not to drive in winter |
| D．advise people about safe driving in winter |
According to the passage, the writer thinks that _______.
| A．people should not drive in the snow |
| B．drivers should think more about problems in winter driving |
| C．people drive too fast in winter |
| D．winter drivers should stop their cars less |
In the passage the writer talks about a cup of coffee ______.
| A．to show how important smooth movements are |
| B．to ask the drivers to bring some soft drinks with them |
| C．to tell the drivers to be more relaxed |
| D．to show how it can be spilled |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Traffic accidents take place easily in winter. |
| B．Fog and melting snow often cause car accidents. |
| C．The stopping distance on ice is as long as the usual one. |
| D．In winter you should drive your car with great care. |
A farmer had a cow.
A farmer had a cow. He took very good care of this cow and one day when it was ill, he was very worried. He telephoned the vet.
“What’s the problem?” The vet asked him when he arrived.
“My cow’s ill,” the farmer said. “I don’t know what's the matter with her. She’s lying down and won’t eat. She’s making a strange noise.”
The vet looked over the cow. "She’s certainly ill," he said, "and she needs to take some very strong medicine."
He took a bottle out of his box, put two pills into his hand and said, "Give her these. The pills should make her better."
“How should I give them to her?” the farmer asked.
The vet gave him a tube (管子)and said, "Put this tube in her mouth, then put the pills in the tube and blow（吹）. That’ll make it."
The next day the vet came to the farm again. The farmer was sitting outside his house and looked more worried.
“How’s your cow?” the vet asked.
“No change,” the farmer said, “and I’m feeling very strange myself.”
“Oh?” the vet said, "Why?"
“I did what you said,” the farmer answered. “I put the tube in the cow’s mouth and then put two pills down it.”
“And?” the vet asked.
“The cow blew first,” the farmer said.The farmer asked the vet for help when his cow _______
| A．couldn't lie down | B．didn't eat the pills | C．couldn't make any noise | D．was ill |
What medicine did the vet give the farmer?
| A．A bottle of pills. | B．A long tube. | C．Two pills. | D．A small box. |
The vet taught the farmer how _________.
| A．to blow the tube | B．to make the cow take the pills |
| C．to take the medicine | D．to put the tube in his mouth |
Which of the following is true?
| A．The farmer ate the pills himself. |
| B．The cow got better after taking the medicine. |
| C．The vet came to help the farmer change the cow the next day. |
| D．The farmer was working outside his house the next day. |