A widow’s wish to hear her late husband’s voice again has pushed London’s Subway system to restore a 40-year-old recording of the subway’s famous “ Mind the gap” announcement.
The underground, or the tube, first opened in 1863, tracked down the voice recording by Oswald Lawrence after his widow, Margaret McCollum, told them what it meant to her.
McCollum, 65, said she used to frequently visit Embankment tube station or plan her journeys around the stop to listen to Lawrence’s voice, even before his death. She was taken aback in November when she noticed it had been replaced by a different voice.
“Lawrence was a drama school graduate when he auditioned (试音) for a tour company. For six years after his death, I’d stay on the platform—just sit and listen to it again,” she added.
When Margaret approached the tube, she was told it had a new broadcast system and it couldn’t use the old recording anymore.
Nigel Holness, director of London Underground, said its staff has been so moved by McCollum’s story that they dug up the recording and gave the widow a copy of the announcement on a CD for her to keep. “Tube staff is also working to restore Lawrence’s announcement at the station,” he added. “It is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. The tube’s ‘Mind the gap’ messages, voiced by various actors, have accompanied countless London commuter journeys since the 1960s. Train drivers and staff made the warnings themselves before that.”
“I’m very pleased that people are interested in Oswald’s old recording,” Margaret said. “He was a great London transport user all his life .He would be amused, touched, and delighted to know he’s back where he belonged.”The best title for the passage is________.
| A．A Replaced Recording | B．Mind the Gap |
| C．A Widow’s Wish | D．The Tube’s Struggle |
The underlined phrase “ taken aback” means_________.
| A．disappointed | B．annoyed |
| C．excited | D．shocked |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The tube always uses recordings to remind passengers. |
| B．Oswald’s voice is great comfort to Margaret. |
| C．No recording can be equal to Oswald’s voice. |
| D．Oswald was an outstanding actor in London. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Kompong Phhluk Private Tour
Depart the city for an unspoiled floating community called Kompong Phhluk which is astonishing for its stilted-house villages and flooded forest.
Stop on the way for the Rolous Market tour. This is a great chance for you to take the photos of locals selling vegetables, different fish species and other local produce.
After this market tour we’ll all have a boat trip to the floating community of Kompong Phhluk, visit an island pagoda, a school and houses standing on 8 or 10m high stilts, fish farms and learn about the village life.
Stop and have lunch in a family’s house before getting into a row boat and venturing into the flooded forest, the habitat to some famous water-bird species.
Eventually we jump back into the big boat and set off for the largest fresh water lake in SE Asia, Tonle Sap.
Tour Details
·Departs 8:30am
·Returns around 2pm
·A picnic lunch with sandwiches and drinks is provided. We cannot provide local food from the area due to poor sanitation（卫生）, lack of hygiene standards and refrigeration.
·No passes required
Rates
·These rates are based on an English speaking guide.
·Rates include all transport, water and a picnic lunch.
·Children 11 years and under are 50%.
·Children 4 years and below are free.
·If your group is larger than 5 people, please email us for the best rate.
Number of People Price Per Person
1 Person$65
2 People$45
3 People$40
4 People$35
5 People$32
What to Wear
·Please be mindful of your clothing and try to avoid anything too revealing.
·We strongly recommend a sunglasses, hat and sunscreen.
General Information
·This is a poor rural village, please be mindful of the environment.
· Please do not hand things out to villagers, for this contributes to creating a begging cycle and can create jealousy.
·We recommend heading to the toilet before you go on this trip as facilities are very basic.Kompong Phhluk is famous for its ______.
| A．local vegetables and different fish species |
| B．stilted-house villages and flooded forest |
| C．Rolous Market and an island pagoda |
| D．water-bird habitat and fish farms |
A private trip for two parents and a 3-year-old boy costs ______.
| A．$40 | B．$80 | C．$90 | D．$120 |
Which of the following is not included in the rates?
| A．A tourist guide. | B．Transport. |
| C．Drinks. | D．Local food. |
We can conclude from the passage that ______.
| A．the living standard in the village is quite low |
| B．the tourist facilities along the way are quite good |
| C．revealing clothes are appropriate in the hot weather |
| D．giving local children small gifts is strongly recommended |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Barack Obama has really gone wild. The US president has taken part in the survival television show Running Wild With Bear Grylls, which will air on NBC later this year. In the show, Obama goes on an adventure with host Bear Grylls, learning how to survive in the Alaskan wilderness.
Edward Michael “Bear” Grylls, 41, has become known around the world as one of the most famous outdoor adventurers. The Briton has appeared on a number of wilderness survival shows in which he has climbed, sailed, and eaten bugs or cow tongue.
Obama doesn’t have to eat bugs or cow tongue on his adventure with Grylls. But he does have to eat leftovers - a bloody salmon (三文鱼). It was partly enjoyed by a bear that left some meat behind.
Although he is far from the White House kitchen, Obama seems to enjoy the outdoors. “As president, I am in what’s called the bubble（保护膜）, and the Secret Service makes sure that I’m always out of danger ... but I sometimes want to get out,” he said in a video.
However, Obama’s appearance on the show isn’t just for fun. He took part to raise awareness of the effect global warming has had on the US’s largest state, Alaska.On his adventure, Obama______.
| A．has to eat something strange like bugs |
| B．enjoys cow tongue with Grylls |
| C．takes in some unusual food |
| D．never has any difficulty |
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
| A．Obama has been tired of the life in the White House |
| B．US presidents have never been in danger because of the Secret Service |
| C．the food prepared in the White House is not as good as the food outdoors |
| D．The life outside the White House is sometimes attractive to the president |
The purpose of Obama’s appearance on the show is _____.
| A．to have some fun |
| B．to promote environmental protection |
| C．to enjoy the wilderness in Alaska |
| D．to get out of the White House for a change |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Grylls is the most well known outdoor adventurer around the world.
B. The TV show with Obama’s appearance is now on air on NBC.
C. Obama learns how to survive with host Bear Grylls in African wilderness.
D. Grylls has special abilities to survive in the wild
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
When I was having a walk through the park today, I met a friend I hadn’t seen for ages. She stared at me curiously. “You have kept this umbrella for years; it's old and out of date. I wonder why you keep it and take it wherever you go.” I smiled, “it means a great deal to me.” I simply gave her my shortest answer. Honestly speaking, I, either, could not understand the reason why I kept it.
Then all of a sudden, fallen leaves darkened my eyes with a strong wind. I grabbed the umbrella instinctively. The rain poured down. Thanks to my umbrella, I didn’t get wet at all.
“Why have I kept it for so long?” I asked myself, staring at my umbrella. I couldn’t remember when and where I bought it, for I’m always tired and lazy to answer questions. It could protect me from the heavy rain, I told myself eventually. Looking at the people rushing through the street, I felt safe. This might be another reason.
It is always so. We know a thunderstorm comes unexpectedly and goes without a warning. The sky cleared up. The sun shone brightly. Just as usual, I seized the umbrella with my left hand. Still there’s water dropping down. I walked among the noisy crowd and listened to what they were murmuring in their heart. “Today I will ask for a rise, or I'll leave this company.” Good luck to you, I smiled to him. “I’ll manage to make you live forever.” A little boy held a pet dog close to him. “She’ll be all right, because she is blessed.” I heard angels singing in this city.
The moment my fingertips touched the umbrella, I felt it’s dry, and it’s warm. Soon it became hot. I held it up to avoid harmful sunshine. Do I need a reason to explain why? Maybe I should think about it. I need my umbrella when it is sunny as well as when it is rainy.Which of the following words best describes the author?
| A．Watchful. | B．Hard-working. | C．Clever | D．Strange |
From the author's feelings with people among the noisy crowd, we can see that _____.
| A．he is sensible enough to understand others’ murmur |
| B．he is sorry for people who can’t foresee their difficulties |
| C．he is warm-hearted even to care for unfamiliar people |
| D．he is kind enough to hope everyone will plan their life well |
What’s the most suitable title for the passage?
| A．Try to notice every passer-by. |
| B．Umbrellas are important. |
| C．Always be prepared. |
| D．Weather changes unexpectedly. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic(经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own hometown of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate(影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt(破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的) and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people's feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward. If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different, even though that might be the more risky choice.What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?
| A．Some of them are not attractive. |
| B．Most of them are too expensive to preserve. |
| C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| D．They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the author?
| A．We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings. |
| C．No one understands why people speak against new buildings. |
| D．Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in. |
By “move things forward”in the last paragraph, the author probably means “_________”．
| A．destroy old buildings |
| B．choose new architectural style |
| C．put things in a different place |
| D．respect people's feelings for historical buildings |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To explain why people dislike change. |
| B．To warn that we could end up living in caves. |
| C．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas. |
| D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Filmmaker Jennifer Nelson had to pay $1,500 to have “Happy Birthday to You” sung in the movie she’s making. The money went to Warner Music Group, a company that claims to own the copyright on the song. A copyright is the legal right to use or sell a creative product such as a song, a TV show, a book, or a work of art. Warner has claimed the copyright for “Happy Birthday to You” since 1988.
“I never thought the song was owned by anyone,” Nelson said in an e-mail to The New York Times. “I thought it belonged to everyone.”
Nelson’s movie is a documentary（纪录片）— a film that uses pictures and/or interviews with people to create a factual report of real-life events — and is actually about the history of the “Happy Birthday” song itself.
Two sisters named Mildred and Patty Hill wrote a song called “Good Morning to All” in 1893. Over a short period of time, people began to sing the words “happy birthday to you” in place of the original lyrics to the tune of the Hill sisters’ song.
A number of history experts say that there is no record of who actually wrote the “Happy Birthday to You” lyrics（歌词）. Historians also say there is no way to know when the general public began singing the “Happy Birthday” song, but they believe it was being sung by the public long before it was printed and owned by a company.
Nelson’s lawyers say this piece of music’s history proves that “Happy Birthday to You” belongs to everyone in the general public. That would mean Warner Music Group has no right to charge anyone a fee to sing the song in any setting.
Experts estimate that Warner/ Chappell, the publishing division of the Warner Music Group, has made about $2 million a year from licensing fees for “Happy Birthday to You.”
Nelson’s lawyers are asking a court in New York City to order Warner/Chappell to return fees they have collected over the past four years for use of the “Happy Birthday” song. Jennifer Nelson had to pay Warner Music Group to ___________ .
| A．own the copyright on a song |
| B．have it write a song for her movie |
| C．have it play a song in her movie |
| D．have a song sung in her movie |
The history experts’ statement can prove that the “Happy Birthday” song ____________.
| A．does not belong to Warner Music Group |
| B．has more than 200 years’ history |
| C．was initially owned by another company |
| D．has always been very popular |
According to Nelson’s lawyers, to sing the “Happy Birthday” song, people ____________.
| A．should pay the Hill sisters |
| B．should pay Warner Music Group |
| C．need not pay for any purpose |
| D．need not pay except for commercial use |
If the court supports Nelson’s lawyers’ claim, ___________.
| A．she can obtain the copyright on the song |
| B．Warner will return about $8 million |
| C．Warner will have to pay her for her damages |
| D．she only needs to pay a little money to use the song |