When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly ad possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.
“Storm chasing” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby, especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.
Although anyone can do it , storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.
Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement . “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”
However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature, It is the greatest show on Earth.”
1.For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do is to .
A. head straight for the center of the storm
B. get into the car for safety
C. wait patiently for the storm to develop
D. collect information about a coming storm
2.Beginners of storm chasing are advised .
A. not to drive in a heavy rain
B. to do it in an organized way
C. not to get too close to a storm
D. to spend more time on it in summer
3.By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that .
A. storm chasing costs a lot of money
B. storm chasing is worth hours of waiting
C. efforts in storm chasing are well paid
D. a storm presents the greatest show on Earth
4.What can we learn from the text?
A. Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment
B. Many storm chasers get killed in the storms.
C. Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world.
D. Storm chasing is only fit for young people.
Below is a housing guide for students going to London.
University accommodation (住所) offices
Many university accommodation offices have their own list of registered landlords (房东). Others also provide information on accommodation agencies and other housing organizations. The advantage of using your university accommodation is that you can get support if you have a problem. The disadvantage is that they are unlikely to have enough registered landlords to houses all their students.
Property papers: Loot and Renting
Loot is an important source (来源) of information about private housing for co-renters. The offers are from private landlords, agencies and individuals looking for other co-renters. They also have a website: www.loot.com. The advantage of using Loot is that there are some excellent bargains. The disadvantage is that there is no quality control over the offers.
Renting is another useful paper. The offers in this paper are mainly from accommodation agencies. Their website is at www.renting.co.uk.
Accommodation agencies
The majority of rented accommodation in London is probably advertised through accommodation agencies. The advantage of using accommodation agencies is that you will have access to a large number of accommodations. A good agent will listen to your requirements and can save you time in looking for the right accommodation. The disadvantage is that they will make a range of charges to potential renters.
Noticeboards
Around the universities you will find a number of noticeboards where offers of accommodation will be posted. These will either be from landlords or from students. Some universities will also have online noticeboards where students can advertise to other students. Advertisements from students can be an excellent way to find accommodation. However, advertisements from landlords can be problematic.
Word of mouth
Some of the best housing in London is never advertised but is passed on from one group of students to another by word of mouth. It might be that you can find out about good offers from final year students. However, don’t suppose that just because you have found out about housing from a friends it is necessarily going to be better than that found through any other source.
Family
Faced with the very high rents charged in London, some students and their parents will consider buying as an alternative. In some cases this might be a good choice.
1.What is the advantage of using Loot?
A. It has more offers from accommodation agencies than Renting.
B. It gives you personal information about other co-renters.
C. Their website is designed mainly for students.
D. There are some good bargains.
2.A good agent can help you ________.
A. know more people
B. find cheap accommodation
C. get the right accommodation quickly
D. get free information about most accommodations
3.The information passed on by word of mouth is important because ________.
A. it is better than that found through any other source
B. it helps you find some of the best housing never advertised
C. the final year students always offer better information
D. the landlords have little valuable information
4.For students going to London for the first time, which of the following provides the most reliable information?
A. University accommodation offices. B. Loot and Renting.
C. Noticeboards. D. Family.
假如你是李华，你的美国笔友David想了解你高中第一学年的情况。请根据下列所提示的信息给他写一封回信。
1. 感叹时间过得快；
2. 学习上的得与失；
3. 学校生活：交友，课外活动等。
注意：
1. 100字左右；信的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总数。
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear David,
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
What about your school life？Would you like to share it with me? I’m looking forward to your reply.
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（﹨）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Mr. Johnson,
I’ve learned from a newspaper that some clerks are wanting in your company. I am eager to being one of them. So I am writing the letter. My name is zhang Hua. I was born in the Hebei Province and I am in good health. I’ve just graduated in the Computer Department of Wuhan University. I did very good in all subjects and I am especial good at computer studies and English. I can read science books in English and doing some writing in English as well. Beside, I know a few French. And in my spare time ,I enjoy playing basketball. As is said that your company is very famous and I’ll very glad if you let me work for it. My telephone number is 027-89276628．I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Once a group of 50 people was attending a seminar. Halfway 1. his talk, the speaker stopped and decided 2.(create) a group activity. He went around the hall and gave each person a balloon. Each one was asked to write his or her name on the balloon 3.(use) a marker pen. Then all the balloons 4. (collect) and put in another room.
The speaker then led the group to the room full of balloons and asked them to find the balloon that had their name 5. (write) on within five minutes. Everyone was 6. (hurry) searching for their name, bumping into each other, pushing each other around. It was chaos. At the end of the five minutes no one could find their own balloon.
Now each person was asked to randomly collect 7.balloon and give it to the person whose name was on it. Within two minutes everyone had their own balloon. When everyone quieted down, the speaker began to talk, saying that this is exactly 8. was happening in our lives.
We may like to think of 9. (us) more important than others, but our happiness sometimes lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness 10. you will get your own happiness.
When I was 13 my only purpose was to become the star on our football team. That meant ____ Miller King, who was the best ______ at our school.
Football season started in September and all summer long I worked out. I carried my football everywhere for ______.
Just before September, Miller was struck by a car and lost his right arm. I went to see him after he came back from ______. He looked very ______, but he didn’t cry.
That season, I ______ all of Miller’s records while he ______ the home games from the bench. We went 10-1 and I was named most valuable player,______ I often had crazy dreams in which I was to blame for Miller’s ______ .
One afternoon, I was crossing the field to go home and saw Miller ______ going over a fence—which wasn’t ______ to climb if you had both arms. I’m sure I was the last person in the world he wanted to accept ______ from. But even that challenge he accepted. I ______ him move slowly over the fence. When we were finally ______ on the other side, he said to me, “You know, I didn’t tell you this during the season, but you did ______ .Thank you for filling in for ______ .”
His words freed me from my bad ______ . I thought to myself, how even without an arm he was more of a leader. Damaged but not defeated, he was ______ ahead of me. I was right to have ______ him. From that day on, I grew ______ and a little more real.
1.A. cheering for B. beating out C. relying on D. staying with
2.A. coach B. student C. teacher D. player
3.A. practice B. show C. comfort D. pleasure
4.A. school B. vacation C. hospital D. training
5.A. pale B. calm C. relaxed D. ashamed
6.A. held B. broke C. set D. tried
7.A. reported B. judged C. organized D. watched
8.A. and B. then C. but D. thus
9.A. decision B. mistake C. accident D. sacrifice
10.A. stuck B. hurt C. tired D. lost
11.A. steady B. hard C. fun D. fit
12.A. praise B. advice C. assistance D. apology
13.A. let B. helped C. had D. noticed
14.A. dropped B. ready C. trapped D. safe
15.A. fine B. wrong C. quickly D. normally
16.A. us B. yourself C. me D. them
17.A. memories B. ideas C. attitudes D. dreams
18.A. still B. also C. yet D. just
19.A. challenged B. cured C. invited D. admired
20.A. healthier B. bigger C. cleverer D. cooler
