【2015·湖南】C
Have your parents ever inspected your room to see if you cleaned it properly? Imagine having your entire houses, garage, and yard inspected at any time -- with no warning. Inspections were a regular part of lighthouse (灯塔) living, and a keeper's reputation depended on results. A few times each year, an inspector arrived to look over the entire light station. The inspections were supposed to be a surprise, but keeper sometimes had advance notice.
Once lighthouses had telephones, keepers would call each other to warn that the inspector was approaching. After boats began flying special flags nothing the inspector aboard, the keeper's family made it a game to see who could notice the boat first. As soon as someone spotted the boat, everyone would do last-minute tidying and change into fancy clothes. The keeper then scurried to put on his dress uniform and cap. Children of keepers remember inspectors wearing white gloves to run their fingers over door frames and windowsills looking for dust.
Despite the serious nature of inspections, they resulted in some funny moments. Betty Byrnes remembered when her mother did not have time to wash all the dishes before an inspection. At the time, people did not have dishwashers in their homes. In an effort to clean up quickly, Mrs. Byrnes tossed all the dishes into a big bread pan, covered them with a cloth and stuck them in the oven. If the inspector opened the oven door, it would look like bread was baking. he never did.
One day, Glenn Furst's mother put oil on the kitchen floor just before the inspector entered their house. Like floor wax, the oil made the floors shiny and helped protect the wood. This time, though, she used a little too much oil. When the inspector extended his hand to greet Glenn's mother, he slipped on the freshly oiled surface. "He came across that floor waving his arms like a young bird attempting its first flight," Glenn late wrote. After he steadied himself, he shook Glenn's mother's hand, and the inspection continued as though nothing had happened.What does Paragraph I tell us about the inspection at the light station?
A.It was carried out once a year. |
B.It was often announced in advance. |
C.It was important for the keeper's fame. |
D.It was focused on the garage and yard. |
The family began making preparations immediately after ______.
A.one of the members saw the boat |
B.a warning call reached the lighthouse |
C.the keeper put on the dress uniform and cap |
D.the inspector flew special flags in the distance |
Mrs. Byrnes put the dishes in the oven because this would ______.
A.result in some fun |
B.speed up washing them |
C.make her home look tidy |
D.be a demand from the inspector |
If the inspector had opened the oven door, he would have seen _______.
A.an empty pan |
B.many clean dishes |
C.pieces of baked bread |
D.a cloth covering something |
The inspector waved his arms ______.
A.to try his best to keep steady |
B.to show his satisfaction with the floor |
C.to extend a warm greeting to Glenn's mother |
D.to express his intention to continue the inspection |
They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon; on foot, on mules(骡子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early; my husband and I and our three children couldn’t wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.
As we set out, I was shocked at how narrow the path was. And I couldn’t help noticing that the other tourists weren’t like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we were dressed, As the sun rose higher, Arizona’s famous heat seemed to roast(烘烤) us. There was no shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far behind. By the time we finally got back, our legs were like jelly.
The next day, after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view of the Canyon – by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.
We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed(翻转) the plane around, pretending he was going to hit the ground. I shouted, “STOP, TAKE US BACK!” When we finally arrived back on land, once again our legs were like jelly. We hardly spoke as we drove back.
As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but personally I’d suggest a fourth: buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic. That way, you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph?
A.They made a careful preparation before the trip |
B.They children were more joyful than their parents. |
C.Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected. |
D.The summer heat prevented them from enjoying the view. |
The underlined expression “Our legs were like jelly” probably means .
A.we were weak | B.we were unhappy |
C.we were dissatisfied | D.we were disappointed |
Which of the following best describes their Canyon trip by air?
A.It proved to be frightening. | B.It was more comfortable |
C.It turned out to be exciting | D.It made each of them tired. |
We can infer from the passage that .
A.experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way |
B.one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon. |
C.the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion. |
D.the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident. |
Last week my youngest son and I visited my father at his new home in Tucson, Arizona. He moved there a few years ago, and I was eager to see his new place and meet his friends.
My earliest memories of my father are of a tall, handsome, successful man devoted to his work and family, but uncomfortable with his children. As a child I loved him; as a school girl and young adult I feared him and felt bitter about him. He seemed unhappy with me unless I got straight A's and unhappy with my boyfriends if their fathers were not as "successful" as he was. Whenever I went out with him on weekends, I used to struggle to think up things to say, feeling on guard.
On the first day of my visit, we went out with one of my father's friends for lunch at an outdoor café. We walked along that afternoon, did some shopping, ate on the street table, and laughed over my son's funny facial expressions. Gone was my father's critical(挑剔的) air and strict rules. Who was this person I knew as my father, who seemed so friendly and interesting to be around? What had held him back before?
The next day my dad pulled out his childhood pictures and told me quite a few stories about his own childhood. Although our times together became easier over the years, I never felt closer to him at that moment. After so many years, I'm at last seeing another side of my father. And in so doing, I'm delighted with my new friend. My dad, in his new home in Arizona, is back to me from where he was.
1. |
Why did the author feel bitter about her father when she was a young adult?
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2. |
When the author went out with her father on weekends, she would feel.
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3. |
What does the author think of her father after her visit to Tucson?
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4. |
The underlined words "my new friend" in the last paragraph refer to. |
D
Holidays
Holiday News Vacancies(空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
The snowdonia Centre The Snowdonia Centre for young mountain climbers has a mountain climbing lesson. The beginners' costs are £57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of mountain climbing adventure. |
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking, waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about - from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokoy and Hong Kong. For a few thousand pounds, all you've ever hoped for can be yours. |
1. |
What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
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2. |
In what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?
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3. |
What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?
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Do's and Don'ts in Whale(鲸) Watching
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has developed guidelines for whale watching in Johnstone Strait, where killer whales are found on a daily basis each summer. It is strongly recommended that vessel(船只) operators follow these guidelines for all kinds of whales.
· Approach whales from the side, not from the front or the back.
· Approach no closer than 100 metres, then stop the boat but keep the engine on.
· Keep noise levels down - no horns, whistles or racing of engines.
· Start your boat only after the whales are more than 100 metres from your vessel.
· Leave the area slowly, gradually moving faster when you are more than 300 metres from the whales.
· Approach and leave slowly, avoiding sudden changes in speed or direction.
· Avoid disturbing groups of resting whales.
· Keep at low speeds and remain in the same direction if traveling side by side with whales.
· When whales are traveling close to shore, avoid crowding them near the shore or coming between the whales and the shore.
· Limit the time spent with any group of whales to less than 30 minutes at a time when within 100 to 200 metres of whales.
· If there is more than one vessel at the same observation spot, be sure to avoid any boat position that would result in surrounding the whales.
· Work together by communicating with other vessels, and make sure that all operators are aware of the whale watching guidelines.
1. |
For whom is this text written?()
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2. |
When leaving the observation areas, the vessel should().
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3. |
When going side by side with whales, the vessel should().
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4. |
What is the shortest safe distance from the whales?()
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More than 10 years ago, it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple. The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and, more often than not, hard with an unpleasant taste within. Then in 1996, the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves.
The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green. It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside. But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known. In no time, the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm, rapidly becoming the world's best-selling pineapple variety, and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth, up until then only found in tinned pineapple.
In nutrition(营养) it was all good news too. This nice-tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C(维生素C) than the old green variety. Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins, but also good against some diseases. People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit. The new type of pineapple was selling fast, and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a fixture in the shopping basket of the healthy eater.
Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple, Del Monte tried to keep the market to itself. But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples. Del Monte turned to law for help, but failed. Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte's attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out of the market.
1. |
We learn from the text that the new type of pineapple is.
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2. |
Why was the new type of pineapple selling well?.
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3. |
The underlined word "fixture" in Paragraph 3 probably refers to something. |
4. |
We learn from the last paragraph that Del Monte.
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