The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of September 2 ，1666. In four days it destroyed more than three-quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were made of wood and close together. Over one hundred people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives.
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King's baker (面包师) in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window into the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul's and the Guildhall among them.
Samuel Pepys, the famous writer, wrote about the fire, "People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat."
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect (建筑师), wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone. In fact, the streets are still narrow, but he did build more than fifty churches, among them the new St Paul's.
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that _____.
| A．some people lost their lives |
| B．the birds in the sky were killed by the fire |
| C．many famous buildings were destroyed |
| D．the King's bakery was burned down |
Why did the writer cite (引用) Samuel Pepys?
| A．To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire. |
| B．Because Pepys also wrote about the fire. |
| C．To show that poor people suffered most. |
| D．Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire. |
How was the fire put out according to the text?
| A．The King and his soldiers came to help. |
| B．All the houses made of wood in the city were destroyed. |
| C．People managed to get enough water from the river. |
| D．Houses standing in the direction of the fire were pulled down. |
It's time for your family to relax and have fun! The following family adventures have links for you to get more information.
Take the Rides of Your Life
Visit Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, to seek thrills "Even though it's located off the beaten track, experts regularly praise Cedar Point as the best overall theme park of the country," says U.S. News & World Report. The park calls itself the roller coaster capital of the world, and with 16 to choose from, it's hard to argue. It's open daily from May 10 through Labor Day; weekends only from Labor Day through November 2.
Tickets start at $ 48.99 per person if purchased online.
http://www.cedarpoint,com.
Wander Free on a Dude farm
Dust off your cowboy boots and ready your cowboy hats for a visit to this Rocky Mountains paradise. Located in Augusta, Montana, "The farm has everything an aspiring cowboy or girl could long for," says Sunset magazine, including hiking trails, fishing trips, campfires with sing-alongs, and, of course, horseback rides. The large farm operates from June through September; kids-only and adults-only programs are available.
Total cost starts at $ 1,360 per adult, $ 1,276 per teen, and $ 1,168 per child.
http://www.triplejranch.com.
Dig for Dinosaurs
Most kids （and adults）love dinosaurs, and to make their wildest dreams come true, head to Fruita, Colorado. The Museum of Western Colorado offers Dino Digs for children ages five and older. You can choose from one-, three-, and five-day expeditions. "Imagine how your child will feel when she helps unearth the fossilized（化石）bones of ancient species," says Outside magazine. It lasts from May to October.
Digs start at $ 125 per person.
http://www.museumofwesternco.com
Surf Sand Dunes
Swap your snowboard for a sand-board, and head to Sand Master Park in Florence, Oregon. Real Simple recommends learning the basics at this private dune park, "which offers board rentals and lessons - often taught by world-champion sand boarders." Then you 'can hit the "slopes" to test your skills. From March to June, and September to November.
Rentals for a sand-board start at $ 10 per day; lessons start at $ 45 an hour per person.
http:/'www. Sandmasterpark.com.What is special about Cedar Point?
| A．You can visit Cedar Point on weekends. |
| B．It has 16 roller coasters for you to choose from. |
| C．You can help unearth the fossilized bones of dinosaurs. |
| D．It offers lessons taught by world-champion sand boarders. |
If you have a 3-day holiday in April, which of the following may interest you most?
| A．Take the Rides of Your Life |
| B．Wander Free on a Dude farm |
| C．Dig for Dinosaurs |
| D．Surf Sand Dunes |
Where will you probably find this passage?
| A．A science fiction | B．An adventure storybook |
| C．A travel magazine | D．A theme park advertisement |
It's Friday morning in the year 2025, and you're running late. You got distracted watching the music video that as playing in the corner of your bathroom mirror while you were brushing your teeth. How will you get to your office at Mega Giga Industries on time?
A quick check of your Internet-connected refrigerator magnet tells you your train which travels at speeds up to 250 miles an hour as it electromagnetically(电磁的) hovers above its guide track is a bit behind schedule, too. So you decide to drive your environmentally-friendly hydrogen(氢气) fuel cell car instead or rather let your car drive you. It's programmed to know the way, and it will get you there without speeding, getting lost, or crashing.
Sealing into your office chair, which changes color to match what you're wearing, you pick up yesterday morning's newspaper. Printed on reusable electronic paper, it instantly rewrites itself with today's headlines. Now it's time for your big meeting. Uh-oh!
You've left your handwritten notes at home. No problem! The digital ink pen you used has stored an electronic copy of what you wrote.
Your wrist(手腕) watch videophone suddenly rings. Your best friend's face pops up on the organic light-emitting diode (二极管) screen asking what you're doing this weekend. Will you slap on your 3D contact lenses and play virtual soccer with the US Olympic team? No, no. Your friend says, so you have to take the new nanotube elevator (made of microscopic fibers many times stronger than steel) 60,000 miles into space.
Could this scene really take place in just a couple of decades? The researchers who are currently developing all this stuff think so. These things may be as common in 20 years as cell phones and DVD players are today.The author wrote the passage to ______.
| A．show picture the life of the future |
| B．introduce some high technology |
| C．tell us the future life is fantastic |
| D．tell us the future life is convenient |
What is the meaning of the underlined sentence?
| A．The car is very good. |
| B．The driver of the car is very clever. |
| C．The car is controlled by yourself. |
| D．The car can run by itself without your control. |
From the passage we know that ______.
| A．you can read the newspaper on TV |
| B．the newspaper is printed on the used paper |
| C．the newspaper can update by itself |
| D．the newspaper is put in the changeable chair |
From the last paragraph we can conclude that ______.
| A．all the imagination can come true now |
| B．it is impossible to see the scene |
| C．it will take us no more than ten years to realize the dream |
| D．the researchers believe the scene will take place in some years |
According to a famous optical(光学) expert, Alexander, who recently visited Shanghai, the developed countries in Europe and America have made rules that children must wear resinous(树脂) glasses instead of the traditional glasses made of glass. This is because the glass glasses are more likely to do harm to children’s eyesight.
Alexander pointed out: wearing the right glasses as soon as possible is still the best way to cure and put right children’s eyesight problems.
In America and Japan the resinous glasses have taken up 80 percent of the glasses market. And some European countries and America have made it a law that children, teenagers and drivers must wear resinous glasses. Now, about 10 million children in China have different eyesight problems and they need timely treatment.
But still, too many parents are buying the traditional glass glasses for their children. This is mainly because many parents know little or nothing about the good points of the resinous glasses. Besides, the price for the new glasses is a little higher than the traditional ones.This news article mainly wants to tell us _______.
| A．Alexander visited China and introduced a new type of glasses |
| B．we should wear resinous glasses instead of glass glasses |
| C．resinous glasses are popular in Europe and America |
| D．glasses can be made of other materials instead of glass |
According to Alexander, the “timely treatment” to eyesight problems is ____
| A．to stop wearing glass glasses any more |
| B．to buy a pair of glasses and wear them right away |
| C．to wear suitable resinous glasses at the right time |
| D．to buy glasses made in Europe, Japan or America if possible |
It can be inferred from this news text that _______.
| A．resinous glasses are not on sale in China yet |
| B．resinous glasses are not acceptable in China |
| C．glass glasses have disappeared on western market because there is a law against them |
| D．glass glasses are the first choice in China not only because of their price |
Bicycle Safety
Operation Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus(校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.
Theft Prevention Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack---even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.
Equipment
Brakes
Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.
Helmet
A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fit properly.
Lights
Always have a front headlight---visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.
Rules of the Road
Riding on Campus As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of ways to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.
Bicycle Parking Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such posts can result in a fine.
If Things Go Wrong
If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:
No bicycle registration---------------------------------------------------$25
Bicycle parking banned--------------------------------------------------$30
Blocking path with bicycle ----------------------------------------------$40
Violation of bicycle equipment requirement --------------------------$35What does the underlined word mean?
| A．to make someone to pay money as a punishment |
| B．to say you are good to something. |
| C．to receive money for good services. |
| D．to give something to someone. |
According to the passage, what bike equipment is a free choice for bicycle riders?
| A．Brakes. | B．A helmet. |
| C．A headlight. | D．A taillight. |
When you ride a bicycle on the campus, ___________.
| A．ride on posted bicycle paths and sidewalks |
| B．cycle at a speed of over 15 mph |
| C．put the walkers’ right of way first |
| D．call the police before leaving in a case of accident |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A guide for safe bicycling on campus. |
| B．Directions for bicycle tour on campus. |
| C．Regulations of bicycle race on campus. |
| D．Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus. |
(NEW YORK) A French tourist highly praised for rescuing a two-year-old girl in Manhattan said he didn’t think twice before diving into the freezing East River.
Tuesday’s Daily News said 29-year-old Duret left the spot quickly after the rescue last Saturday.
He lifted the little girl out of the water after she fell off the bank at the South Street Scaport museum. He handed the girl to her father, David Anderson, who had dived in after him.
“I didn’t think at all,” Duret told the Daily News. “It happened very fast. I reacted very fast.”
Duret, an engineer on vacation ,was walking with his girlfriend along the pier(码头)when he saw something falling into the water. He thought it was a doll, but realized it was a child when he approached the river. In an instant, he took off his coat and jumped into the water.
When he reached the girl, she appeared lifeless, he said. Fortunately, when she was out of the water, she opened her eyes.
Anderson said his daughter slipped off the bank when he was adjusting his camera. An ambulance came later for her, said Duret, who was handed dry clothes from cookers. Duret caught a train with his girlfriend shortly after.
The rescue happened on the day before he left for France. Duret said he didn’t realize his tale of heroism he was leaving the next morning.
“I don’t really think I’m a hero,” said Duret. “Anyone would do the same thing.”Why was Duret in New York?
| A．To meet his girlfriend |
| B．To work as an engineer |
| C．To spend his holiday |
| D．To visit the Andersons. |
What did Duret do shortly after the ambulance came?
| A．He was interviewed by a newspaper. |
| B．He asked his girlfriend for his dry clothes |
| C．He went to the hospital in the ambulance. |
| D．He disappeared from the spot quickly. |
Who divied after Duret into the river to save the little girl?
| A．David Anderson | B．A passer-by |
| C．His girlfriend | D．a taxi driver. |
What is probably the headline of this news report?
| A．A Careless Father |
| B．A Poor Girl |
| C．Warm-hearted Onlookers |
| D．Brave Frenchman Found |