A drunken burglar in the Orrell Park area of Liverpool, ended up leaping out of a window after a 10-year-old girl asked him to prove he was a superhero.
The drunken thief who pretended he was Superman to stop a child raising the alarm has been caught after he leapt from the apartment building in his pants to make the girl convinced.
Thief Ethan Adamson, 25, told police that he had broken into a fifth-floor flat after a drinking party, believing it was empty.
But he was horrified when the owner’s 10-year-old daughter woke up while he was there.
From his hospital bed, the thief told reporters, “To keep her quiet, I told her I was really Superman and I’d soon be flying off back to my secret headquarters.”
“She called my bluff (向…摊牌) and told me, ‘If you’re Superman, show me you can fly or I’ll scream’.
“I had no choice so I stripped to my pants to look more like a superhero and went to the window. I saw another roof below and I thought I could make it but it turned out to be a lot further down than thought. I know it doesn’t make sense but it did to me when I was drunk.”
Police later found him on the roof in just his yellow pants, covered in cuts and bruises(淤青) after a neighbor heard his cries of pain.
He now faces seven years behind bars for burglary.
Police spokesman Frank Armado said, “He was in quite a serious state and couldn’t move until we got up there using ladders. He was treated for his injuries and we got him some fresh clothes, before taking him to hospital where he is being kept under guard until he is well enough to be arrested.”
1.What does the underlined part in the passage mean?
A. I could land safely on the roof.
B. I could make the girl trust me.
C. I could prove I was a superhero.
D. I could make a successful escape.
2.What’s the right order of the event?
a. Ethan Adamson told reporters of the burglary.
b. The 10-year-old girl called Ethan Adamson’s bluff.
c. Ethan Adamson attended a drinking party.
d. Ethan Adamson leapt out of a window.
A. cabd B. dbca C. cbda D.dcab
3.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
A. To report on a joking burglary.
B. To call our attention to the burglary.
C. To explain how the burglar was caught.
D. To look back on an adventure story.
It’s hard to find Alice Munro in the media. Even after she won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Canadian writer just appeared for a quick interview and then dropped out of sight. On Dec 29, she still didn't seek the spotlight（聚光灯）when she was named one of the five Women of the Year by the Financial Times.
In Munro's eyes, ordinary lives always hide larger dramas. So she records what we casually think of as the everyday actions of normal people. She often focuses on life in her hometown, a small village in Ontario which she is most familiar with. She writes about the ordinary things in the village－fox forming, trees filled in the Ontario wilderness, poor country alcohol and long last illnesses. Above all, she talks about girls and women who have seemingly ordinary lives but struggle against daily misfortune.
She has a special talent for uncovering the extraordinary in the ordinary. These are ordinary people, ordinary stories, but she has the magic. Her precise language, depth of detail and the logic of her storytelling have made her stories inviting.
Runaway, one of Munro’s representative works, is a good example of her writing style. One of the stories centers on the life of an ordinary woman Carla, who lives in a small Canadian town with her husband Clark. The story slowly forms a picture of Carla, trapped in a bad marriage, her unhappiness building into desperation until she decided to flee. The story of Carla is a story of the power and betrayals of love. It is about lost children and lots of chances that we can all find in life, There is pain beneath the surface, like a needle in the heart.
Since she published her first collection of short stories in 1968, Munro has won many awards, with the Nobel Prize being her biggest honor. On Oct 10, 2013, the Nobel Prize committee named Munro the “master of the contemporary short story”.
1.We learn from Paragraph 1 that Alice Munro_____
A．didn't get on well with the media
B．remained modest though very successful
C．didn’t value the title of Women of the Year
D. was surprised at winning the Nobel Prize
2.What makes Alice Munro’s stories fascinating according to the text?
A．Her writing techniques
B．The complicated plots
C．The humorous language
D．Her rich imagination
3.In her representative work Runaway, Carla_____
A．leads a happy life with Clark
B．is a faithful wife to her husband
C．loses all hopes for a better life
D．tries to run away from her husband
4.What is the text mainly about?
A．Alice Munro and her hometown
B．The awards Alice Munro won
C．Alice Munro and her writing style
D．Alice Munro’s literary life
Service Trips for High School Students
Are you a high school student who loves to be outdoors and is eager to experience new challenges, learn new skills and meet new people? WTA offers first-time participants country trips and returning students have the option to go on trips in the back country (边远地区).
Front Country Trips
Our front country trips provide opportunities for people to experience projects near the ocean, in the scenic Cascade Mountains and in northeast Washington. Our trips also provide you with experienced leaders, a great project, some camping tents, sleeping bags and all your meals for the week.
Advanced Back Country Trips
On these trips you will be backpacking to the work site and will have a chance to advance your trail and leadership skills under the supervision of a WTA leader.
Trip Details
In 2015, trip fees for WTA members will be $195 for the first trip and $145 for each additional trip. Non-members will pay an additional $40 for their first trip and can be qualified to be members in the second trip. Due to the popularity of our trips, please submit your payment and application within two weeks. If a trip is full and you would like to be added to the waiting list, please call us at 206/625-1367 or email trail-teams@wta.org.
Scholarships
We believe no student should have to stay at home this summer because he or she can’t afford to go outside. Thanks to donations from members and supporters, WTA is proud to announce that we are able to offer a limited number of scholarships. Application Deadline: March 1, 2015.
1.If you are going on Front Country Trips, you can’t go on trips __________.
A. near the ocean B. in the back country
C. in the Cascade Mountains D. in northeast Washington
2.How much will you have to pay for your first trip if you’re not a WTA member?
A. $145. B. $185. C. $195. D. $235.
3.After choosing a trip, you __________.
A. will naturally become a WTA member.
B. can cancel your trip and get all your money back.
C. will be added to the waiting list.
D. must submit your payment and application within two weeks.
4.You may be lucky enough to obtain a scholarship if you __________.
A. apply before March 1, 2015.
B. donate a little money to WTA.
C. support WTA by advertising.
D. volunteer in your high school.
阅读理解。
Liverpool is famed for many things — most especially The Beatles and its football team. But few would associate the city with one of the most famous political speeches in history. Yet tourism officials in the city have published the claim that Martin Luther King's “I Have a Dream” was written at a city centre hotel. The allegation (说法) has been made in a guide to a major art event named Liverpool Discovers.
A map in the guide shows more than 20 locations where famous people were born along with places associated with celebrities (名人) and events in their life. The guide claims, “Martin Luther King visited his supporters in Liverpool three times, and the first draft of his famous speech ‘I Have a Dream’ is claimed to have been written at Adelphi Hotel.” The speech, delivered to civil rights campaigners on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington in 1963, is one of the most quoted texts in history and was a definitive moment in the American Civil Rights Movement and in the fight for racial equality.
Dr. King's biographer, Godfrey Hodgson, said that the suggestion did not fit the facts. He said, “I don't believe it. If he had been to Liverpool, there would have been massive media reports, as he would have been a big figure by then. Dr. King did visit the UK on a number of occasions but he was not in the UK around the time of this famous speech in 1963.”Prof. John Belcham, a history lecturer of University of Liverpool who wrote an 800year history of Liverpool in 2008, confirmed that he was unaware of any connection between Dr. King and the city.
1.In the first paragraph, the writer tells us indirectly that
________.
A．Liverpool Discovers was created to remember Martin Luther King
B．many famous political speeches in history were delivered in Liverpool
C．most people think Liverpool is known for the famous speech “I Have a Dream”
D．the claim that “I Have a Dream” was written in Liverpool still lacks evidence
2.The guide offers relevant information about ________.
A．the places associated with celebrities
B．the families of celebrities
C．the contributions of celebrities
D．the daily life of celebrities
3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A．Godfrey held a negative attitude towards Dr. King.
B．There were some arguments about whether Dr. King wrote the speech himself.
C．The connection between Dr. King and Liverpool was doubted by some experts.
D．John was unaware of any connection between Dr. King and Liverpool.
4.What would be the best title for this passage?
A．Martin Luther King and His Speech
B．Is Liverpool Connected to Martin Luther King?
C．Liverpool Is a Good Choice for Holidaymakers
D．The Most Famous People in Liverpool
阅读理解。
China's famous scientist, the Cloth Shoes Academician Li Xiaowen passed away on January 10th, 2015 in Beijing at the age of 68. Hundreds of thousands of netizens sang high praise for him online, showing their respect to the leading authority in remote sensing field. Following Li Xiaowen's last wish, his family held a simple funeral for him, while many admirers from all over the country came to the funeral for remembrance. Some national leaders including Premier Li Keqiang also sent a wreath.
Li was a professor at Beijing Normal University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research achievements have advanced the development of remote sensing science, and made China one of the leaders in this field. He also received several famous science prizes from China. He published 1,878 essays on his blog since 2007. All his students have thumbed up to Li for his contributions to the development of remote sensing. He was known to everyone in the remote sensing circle, but was impressive on netizens for a photo.
In recent years, Professor Li's quiet and selfeffacing behavior was recognized through social media. In 2014, a photograph of Academician Li was taken by his student, in which he was attentively making a lecture with shabby clothes, grizzled hair and straggling beard, without socks, and wearing black cloth shoes. He looked like an old villager, rather than a famous scientist. The photo became popular on the Internet and earned him the title of the “Cloth Shoes Academician”. His simple plain image, kindness to all his students and dedication to his career are three important features on him. All these are precious to educational and academic community.
“The society is changeable but Academician Li is quiet. He faced all stuff with his characters of quietness and simplicity. It is clear that he has become the‘Teacher Immortal’．” said Ge Yuejing, a senior leader of Beijing Normal University.
1.Why was Li Xiaowen popular with netizens?
A．He had great achievements while he lived a simple life.
B．He had high social status while he wore shabby clothes.
C．He was famous in the world while he was kind to students.
D．He was poor while he dedicated much to his career.
2.The second paragraph mainly tells us ________.
A．why Li Xiaowen was called the “Cloth Shoes Academician”
B．how Li Xiaowen was loved by his students
C．how Li Xiaowen did his research
D．what achievements Li Xiaowen has made
3.Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Premier Li Keqiang came to Li Xiaowen's funeral.
B．A good teacher needs to publish essays on the Internet.
C．Social media made Professor Li Xiaowen worldfamous.
D．Professor Li's attitude to life and his career earned himself high praise and respect.
阅读理解。
The Netherlands on Monday launched its firstever “intelligent bicycle”， fitted with a set of electronic devices to help bring down the high accident rate among elderly cyclists in this country.
The intelligent bicycle runs on electricity. Its seat shakes when other cyclists approach from behind, while the handlebars do the same when obstacles appear ahead to inform cyclists to pay attention to the danger. It also has a cradle (置物架) in which a computer can be inserted, to wirelessly connect and “talk” to the bicycle through a particular application. The computer also flashes a bright signal if there is an approaching obstacle in the bicycle's path, like a tree, or if another cyclist comes up from behind intending to pass.
A commercialavailable bicycle is expected to be on the market in the next two years and should sell for between 1,700 euros to 3,200 euros per bicycle. It weighs about 55 pounds but researchers are working on making the onboard systems smaller.
“Accidents often happen when cyclists look behind them or get a fright when they are passed at high speed，”said Maurice Kwakkernaat, one of the scientists involved in the project, “The onboard system technology has already been at work in the automotive industry.”
“More and more elderly people are using a bicycle, not only for short distances, but also for longer distances，”Dutch Environment Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen said.“This type of bicycle is truly needed in the Netherlands because it will help us bring down the number of elderly people who are injured every year and allow them to continue enjoying cycling，” she said.
1.What does the text mainly talk about?
A．The newlyinvented bicycle can warn of danger.
B．The intelligent computer runs on electricity.
C．More elderly people enjoy electronic devices.
D．The means of transportation in the Netherlands.
2.When a car appears ahead, the intelligent bicycle will________.
A．stop by itself B．make a noise
C．warn its cyclist D．change its color
3.What do you know about the intelligent bicycle?
A．It uses gas as the fuel.
B．It is widely used now.
C．It will be lighter in weight.
D．It will be free for everyone.
4.More and more elderly people in the Netherlands________.
A．try to invent intelligent bicycles
B．enjoy themselves by cycling
C．drive cars for longer distances
D．devote themselves to computers
