There has been a large increase in the number of natural disasters over the past few years, and it is believed that global warming and climate change could cause even more disasters in thefuture. Some of the world’s leading cities are facing disasters like floods and heat waves.
London
London’s flood defences are getting older. Since 1982, the Thames Barrier(水闸)has protected the city from the threat (威胁)of flooding, but it was only designed to last until 2030 and close once every two or three years. About 31 years later the barrier now closes five or six times a year and according to Environment Agency predictions, by 2050 the barrier will be closed on almost every tide if the problem is not solved
There are 26 underground stations, 400 schools, 16 hospitals, an airport and 80 billion worth of property(财产）in London’s flood risk area, so large scale flooding would be disastrous.
Paris
Over a six week period in July and August 2003, more than 1 1,400—mainly elderly people—died in France from dehydration(脱水)and extremely high body temperature in a deadly heat wave. Heat waves of similar intensity(强度)are expected every seven years by 2050, so what can be done to make sure such a disaster does not happen again?
One solution is to have air-conditioners installed（安装）in elderly care homes. But this is considered a short-term solution, as the increase in demand for electricity also increases carbon emissions(排放).
In Paris the local authorities are encouraging architects to design new types of buildings such as the building “Flower Tower,” which uses a covering of bamboo to act as a natural air-conditioner.
Shanghai
Shanghai is the fastest growing city on Earth. It has a population of 18 million and is only 4 meters above sea level. Sea levels are predicted to rise by 20 cm within the next century.
About 250，000 people move to Shanghai every year in search of work, placing extra demands on energy consumption（消耗）. China depends heavily on coal—fired power stations, but these emissions increase temperatures and, in turn, warmer seas increase the risk of typhoons.
1.What problem should be settled now in London?
A. How to protect the city’s property
B. Where to build its flood defences
C. How to use the Thames Barrier to protect the city
D. How to improve the function of the old flood defences
2.Which of the following measures can’t solve the heat wave disaster in Paris?
A. Putting up new types of buildings with a covering of bamboo.
B. Having air-conditioners installed in elderly care homes.
C. Forbidding the city to build “Flower Tower”.
D. Encouraging architects to design new types of buildings.
3.The major threats to Shanghai are __________.
A. increasing population and coal-fired power stations
B. rising sea levels and typhoons
C. extremely high temperature and rising sea levels
D. extra demands on energy consumption and typhoons
4.The purpose of the passage is __________.
A. to tell us how to protect the big cities
B. to give advice on how to defend natural disasters
C. to explain what causes flood and heat waves
D. to warn us of the increasing natural disasters in big cities
He is talent and charm(魅力) have made him the No.1 Chinese classical artist in the world. He played in the grand Beijing Olympic opening ceremony last summer, watched by a TV audience of 5 billion.
Lang Lang, 26, is the first Chinese pianist to play with the world’s top orchestras, making his debut at the Carnegie Hall in New York at 18, while still a student.
Lang Lang’s charm and fondness for sharp clothes make him a natural fit to represent（代表）China’s new international image. According to the British newspaper the Times, “The Lang Lang effect” is responsible for driving 36 million Chinese children to learn the piano.
Now in China children are learning Chopin(肖邦) and Western orchestras are touring Chinese cities, but can China ever export（出口）its own music to the west? Lang is trying. His cooperation with the London Symphony Orchestras this month includes a performance of Dragon Songs, an album of traditional Chinese classics.
Behind the international recognition, however, is a fascinating story of a gifted child. Lang grew up with his father’s own musical ambition and high expectations. It is not hard to imagine how boring it must be to practice the piano every day. Lang said that he once hated his hands and the piano. He injured his right hand six years ago and had to rest. “That was the best month,” he says, without hesitation. “I had a date. I saw a Broadway show and saw Britney Spears in concert.”
1.Which of the following is NOT the reason why Lang Lang is the No.1 Chinese classical artist in the world?
A. He played in the Beijing Olympic opening ceremony last summer.
B. He has as many as 5 billions fans in China.
C. He is the first Chinese pianist to play with the world’s top orchestras.
D. He plays the piano so well and has a good international image.
2.The underlined word “debut” in the second paragraph probably means____.
A. first class B. first performance C. first plan D. first choice
3.Which of the following statements about Lang is true?
A. He has 36 million Chinese students in China.
B. He is touring China giving concerts.
C. He is trying to export Chinese music to western countries.
D. He only played traditional Chinese classics in his cooperation with the London Symphony Orchestra.
4.From the last paragraph we can infer _____.
A. Lang didn’t like his father when he was little
B. he was happy to practice the piano everyday
C. his father’s desire and expectations played an important role in his childhood
D. he injured his right hand on purpose six years ago
In countries around the world, food has been used to celebrate at our holidays, our rituals and our family gatherings. The food eaten at holiday time has made the deepest impact on our culture and memories. Different holidays bring different types of food. Much of the food we eat during the holidays comes from old traditions handed down for hundreds of years.
New Year's Eve always brings parties and get-togethers, but where you live in the world may determine what food graces your table. In the southern US, partiers eat black eyed peas, which are thought to bring good luck and prosperity(繁荣). The Japanese also eat food for good luck on New Year's, but their choice is red snapper, the color red being considered good luck in Japan. The Jewish celebrate New Year by eating apples dipped in honey and in Madrid, Spain the last minutes of the New Year are counted down with the popping of grapes into the mouth. A pet is a cake prepared by the Greek with a coin baked into it. The person who gets the slice of cake with the coin in it should have good luck in the upcoming year.
In the United States, a typical Christmas feast can contain a variety of foods ranging from turkey to chicken, from ham to goose, but other countries celebrate this holiday differently. Perhaps these choices have been taken from the traditions of our heritage(遗产). In Denmark, a traditional Christmas meal is roast goose, Greece, leg of lamb. Traditionally, Italians keep their Christmas Eve meal meatless. The traditional Christmas dinner in New Zealand is a picnic eaten on the beach.
Though holidays around the world are celebrated in different ways, it is food, feast and family that bring us together.
1.According to the passage, in different holidays people usually ______.
A. have different kinds of food to eat
B. recall the interesting life when they were young
C. have a wide variety of parties.
D. get together to play games.
2.All the following can bring people good luck except_____.
A. a cake with a coin
B. red snapper
C. black eyed peas
D. apples dipped in honey.
3.We can know from the third paragraph that ______.
A. roast goose is American’s favorite food during Christmas
B. people in Denmark and Greece share the same food during Christmas
C. Italians don’t have meat during Christmas
D. people in New Zealand like playing games on the beach
4.Which of the following can be the main idea of the passage?
A. Holiday foods vary from culture to culture.
B. Different countries have different cultures.
C. People have a good appetite during holiday.
D. Different foods are served during Christmas.
At 21，Ricardo Semler became boss of his father's business in Brazil，Semco，which sold parts for ships. Semler Junior worked like a mad man，from 7：30 am，until midnight every day. One afternoon，while touring a factory in New York，he broke down. The doctor who treated him said，"There's nothing wrong with you. But if you continue like this, you'll find a new home in our hospital. "Semler got the message. He changed the way he worked. In fact，he changed the ways his employees worked too.
He let his workers take more responsibility so that they would be the ones worrying when things went wrong. He allowed them to set their own salaries，and he cut all the jobs he thought were unnecessary，like receptionists and secretaries. This saved money and brought more equality(平等）to the company. "Everyone at Semco，even top managers，meets guests in reception，does the photocopying，sends faxes，types letters and dials the phone."
He completely reorganized the office：instead of walls，they have plants at Semco，so bosses can't shut themselves away from everyone else. And the workers are free to decorate their workspace as they want. As for uniforms，some people wear suits and others wear T-shirts.
Semco has flexible （灵活的）working hours：the employees decide when they need to arrive at work. Also，Semco lets its workers use the company's machines for their own projects，and makes them take holidays for at least thirty days a year.
It sounds perfect，but does it work? The answer is in the numbers：in the last six years，Semco's revenues （收入）have gone from $35 million to $212 million. The company has grown from eight hundred employees to 3，000. Why?
Semler says it's because of "peer pressure". Peer pressure makes employees work hard for everyone else. If someone isn't doing his job well，the other workers will not allow the situation to continue. In other words，Ricardo Semler treats his workers like adults rather than children, and expects them to act like responsible adults. And they do.
1.Why did Semler change the way he and his employees worked?
A. Because he went crazy because of overwork.
B. Because he had to receive treatment in hospital.
C. Because his father asked him to.
D. Because the doctor warned him of the danger of overwork.
2.Semler made a variety of changes in his company Except that__________.
A. the number of the employees is reduced to save money
B. the employees can take only 30 days off for holiday every year.
C. flexible working hours were introduced
D. the employees enjoyed a lot of freedom
3.What’s the main idea of Paragraph five?
A. Ricardo Semler’s new management method succeeded.
B. Ricardo Semler’s idea sounded perfect but not practical.
C. The company earned a lot of money.
D. The reason for his success.
4.In his company, what does Ricardo Semler value most?
A. freedom B. rules C. responsibility D. hard work
To make new friends, the first thing you need to do is to meet up with new people, this should be quite , as your neighborhood should have a club, school or some other small organizations.
Go there and talk to people. you get into a social circle or group, making friends is not hard at all.
Look easygoing. You needn’t in fancy clothes or wear loud make-ups to attract people. Make eye and smile often; don’t look too nervous and listen to what others have to say.
Accept people the way they are. Nobody is ; you are not either. Everyone has faults and the way to make friends is by looking at the positive aspects of people. In case you don’t like someone’s behavior, it is better to them than to create a rivalry (对抗).
Don’t forget old friends. If they have moved away or if you have moved away, be in through phone calls and emails. Don’t leave old friends for the sake of new ones.
1.A. embarrassing B. available C. amazing D. simple
2.A. Once B. Although C. While D. Since
3.A. try on B. dress up C. put on D. have on
4.A. contact B. movement C. control D. connection
5.A. intelligent B. organized C. fluent D. perfect
6.A. avoid B. abandon C. bother D. blame
7.A. need B. touch C. trouble D. danger
Before our marriage, my wife and I had had dogs separately. Her dog was named Zack, and mine Sam.
After we got married, the dogs lived with us. The first day we brought our daughter home from after her birth, the dogs her. They licked(舔) her and rubbed(摩擦) her, especially Zack. I had to Zack away from her because it loved her so much that it licked her over and over again. When she in the cradle（摇篮）, it lay next to her with a paw（爪子）on the side of her cradle. After she grew , Zack would wait for her on the staircase before she went to bed, then her to her bed.
, Sam never did such things.
When my daughter was 5 years old, Zack was poisoned by the kid next door. It was the day in our lives. At eight o’clock that night, my daughter went to the staircase for . She looked back at us in fear and . She had to walk up these stairs alone.
At that time, my dog Sam and walked to my daughter. It pushed her with its paws and then walked up on the staircase. Then she took its collar and they went upstairs.
In the following six years, Sam for my daughter on the staircases every night until it died.
1.A. church B. court C. hospital D. stadium
2.A. attacked B. loved C. scared D. approached
3.A. against B. with C. for D. on
4.A. give B. break C. force D. put
5.A. slept B. jumped C. chatted D. ran
6.A. bigger B. fatter C. stronger D. weaker
7.A. walked B. took C. rolled D. pulled
8.A. Therefore B. Moreover C. Rarely D. However
9.A. best B. worst C. longest D. funniest
10.A. food B. bed C. fun D. comfort
11.A. excitement B. amazement C. fright D. joy
12.A. stood up B. put up C. went up D. made up
13.A. cared B. looked C. waited D. called
