I began cycling in 2004 when I was a poor student. It was dangerous, sure, but cycling is the fastest, cheapest point-to-point form of transport in Melbourne. I own a car now, but that’s just for transporting the baby or groceries.
I hate driving. So it’s been quite encouraging watching the growth in cyclist numbers over the past decade. It is said that over 10,000 cyclists enter the CBD (Central Business District) each day, taking pressure off public transport. But as more people take to cycling as a way of transport, the number of cyclists seriously injured or killed keeps increasing. And that is a sign that our infrastructure (基础设施) is still not good enough.
Melbourne was once a dream for cyclists--flat, long, wide roads, with plenty of paths along rivers. Now, cycling can be deadly, with roads taken up by cars. I have a friend who broke her back and was lucky to escape death and others with broken bones. In my time riding, I’ve been forced off the road by a truck, cut off by four-wheel drives, and told to get off the road. Drivers are a particularly rude to cyclists. And that’s a sign of exactly one thing: inadequate infrastructure.
We shouldn’t need to be taught how to coexist in the same narrow space. Drivers and cyclists should be kept apart. Designing bike paths so riders are channelled between moving cars and parked cars is deadly. All it takes is one daydreaming driver to fling open the door and you are gone. That’s what happened to the young university student James.
This year, there are to be new cycling lanes (车道) built on Glen Road, where James died in 2010. But these lanes are not safe. Cyclists must still pass between two rows of cars.
1.What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Some people hating driving.
B. More cyclists having accidents.
C. More people choosing to cycle.
D. Distracted driving happening a lot.
2.What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?
A. Many people are bad at cycling.
B. There are many cars in Melbourne.
C. It’s dangerous to cycle in Melbourne.
D. Melbourne was once very beautiful.
3.Which was the major cause of James’ death according to the author?
A. Cross’ carelessness.
B. A driver’s mistake.
C. Unsafe bike paths.
D. An outdated legal system.
4.What is the purpose of the text?
A. To stress the necessity of safe bike paths.
B. To encourage readers to cycle.
C. To criticize rude driving behavior.
D. To tell a personal story.
Marathon fever is sweeping this country. In recent years, China's ever-growing passion for marathons has been triggered by its economic development and health-conscious middle class. A large number of marathon runners are white-collar workers, civil servants and business people that are keen on leading a healthy lifestyle. Government support, social participation and strong marketing by the sports industry have gradually led to the rapid development of the marathon industry, which is currently valued at 70 billion yuan ($10.77 billion). Due to its large participation and nationwide media report, marathons are considered by local governments an important part of marketing their cities. Thus, many cities list unique routes across local scenic spots and historical attractions, not only to boost people's fitness, but also to promote local tourism.
For many runners, marathons are a way of life." As we get older, the places and opportunities to meet new people decrease. I find that participating in marathons is a simple way to make friends," said Wu, who made many friends in the Xstop Running Community, a running club with 48,000 members established by Xtep, one of the leading distributors of sports merchandise in China.
"The sense of belonging and the mutual encouragement that exists within the running community are very attractive to many people. We easily befriend one another, since we have the same goal: to keep running and never stop," Wu said. Besides, a marathon can be a great way to explore new places. For a runner who also loves traveling, marathons are a solid choice. "Competing in an international marathon is a chance to experience a city or a country you've never visited before," said Meng, an experienced runner from north China's Tianjin Municipality, who often runs in London, New York and Melbourne.
There's a unique perspective that people get running through the streets of a city, distinct ancient buildings or amazing natural settings, he explained, things that somehow just can't be seen by rushing in a car. In addition, during a race, streets are often closed off so you don't have to battle traffic.
1.Which word has the closest meaning to the underlined word "triggered" in the first paragraph？___
A. motivated B. solved C. battled D. increased
2.Who is most likely to take part in the marathons___
A. John，a company manager
B. Jack，a middle-aged farmer
C. Rose，a high school student
D. Maria，a retired teacher
3.According to paragraph 3&4，which of the following statement is NOT true？___
A. A marathon can be a great way to explore new places
B. There is few traffic in the streets during a marathon race.
C. You see common sights by running through the streets of a city
D. Many people are attracted to mutual encouragement of the running community.
4.Why do local governments support the marathons？___
A. Because nationwide media coverage can make them famous.
B. Because they realize the benefits for their citizens.
C. Because local scenic spots and historical attractions can have unique routes.
D. Because they want to make people healthier and boost tourism.
If you rent an apartment in Beijing, you also rent the landlord or landlady for at least a year. It's important you find a good match because you have to deal with them in the long term. For me, it was love at first sight with the elderly couple who owns my apartment.
It was quite a tough trying to find the right apartment when I first arrived in Beijing. The apartments were either unsuitable or I find fault with the owners who looked indifferent at best and unfriendly at worst. But that all changed when the renting agent's car stopped in front of a hutong house in the heart of the capital.
I saw an elderly couple, in their 70s perhaps, waving to me. They were warm and welcoming at first glance, and when I saw them attentively hanging up the curtains in what would become my bedroom, I was just about sold on the place and the owners!
Chinese people talk about yuanfen, meaning fate that brings people together. Before I met my current landlords, I thought the concept of yuanfen was overrated. A generous landlady who liked me and wanted me to move into her apartment had used the term in reference to me. But it was this lovely couple that changed my mind about the concept.
We have become accustomed to visiting each other at home. The couple's apartment is lovingly decorated, boasting a recent wedding photo of themselves taken in bridal wear. The landlord likes to smoke and sip tea, while the landlady takes great pride in her appearance.
After three years, I dare say they treat me a bit like a “daughter”, despite having two grown sons, one of them close by. They give me gifts of tea or clothes, and I bring them souvenirs from my trips. A match made in heaven, indeed!
1.How did the author feel about renting an apartment in Beijing?
A. It was a piece of cake.
B. There were lots of unfriendly owners.
C. It was worth trying different apartments.
D. It was not so easy to find a suitable apartment.
2.What did the elderly couple do when they first met the author?
A. They looked indifferent and find fault with the author.
B. They gave a warm welcome and took good care of the house.
C. They liked the author and wanted her to move into their apartment.
D. They were nice and gave her gifts of tea or clothes.
3.Which one is correct about the elderly couple?
A. They are newly married. B. They are nice and easy to get along with.
C. They love drinking tea. D. They live together with their two sons.
4.Which one is the best title for this text?
A. Love at first sight B. My experience in Beijing
C. A lovely couple D. Heaven on earth
Last year, when our three-year-old great-granddaughter Kylie was taken to see Santa Claus, she made sure to give him her wish list of toys. A week later, she ran into a different Santa in a mall. He stopped to ask what she wanted for Christmas. Kylie was surprised and let him know: "If you can't remember what I told you last week, how are you going to remember on Christmas Eve?!"
(---Mary Paul, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
As my son Mike and I drove to the mall, we passed a Salvation Army Santa ringing his bell. "Mike," I said, "there's Santa!" He shook his head. "That's just some guy in a Santa suit," he said. It saddened me to think that maybe my son no longer believed in Santa, and we drove the rest of the way in silence. At the mall, we spotted another Santa greeting young believers. Suddenly, Mike took off toward him. Turning back to me, he shouted. "Now, there's the real Santa!"
(---Michael E. Fahey, Huntley, Illinois)
We immigrated to America from China when I was six. Because I was shy and didn't speak English, I had few friends. My days were spent at home with my brother. Sometimes we'd help our neighbor Mr. Mueller pull weeds. One Christmas Day, there was a knock at the door. Grandma opened it, and there stood a big fellow in red with a snow-white beard, laughing, "Ho, ho, ho!" He handed out presents and made us laugh. I had so much fun. It was years later when I learned that our special Santa was our neighbor Mr. Mueller.
(---Joanne Tang, Litchfield Park, Arizona)
1.Why was Kylie surprised when running into a different Santa？
A. Because she got what she wished.
B. Because she knew who the Santa was.
C. Because she wished to get another toy.
D. Because she thought they were the same Santa.
2.What would Mike's parent feel as to Mike's different attitudes towards Santa？
A. Angry B. Confused C. Sad D. Unbelievable
3.What did Mr. Mueller do on Christmas Day？
A. He stood outside our house.
B. He stayed with us in our home.
C. He continued to pull weeds.
D. He gave out gifts by acting as Santa
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What did customers use to complain about?
A. Not getting through to the restaurants.
B. Paying a lot for delivery.
C. Slow service.
2.What is special about DoorDash?
A. You can order from many places at once.
B. You can check the progress of the delivery.
C. The prices are lower than from the restaurants.
3.What do we know about the work of DoorDashers?
A. The hours are flexible.
B. The pay isn’t very good.
C. It’s a good way to promote themselves.
4.Why do many restaurants like DoorDash?
A. They don’t need to hire their own delivery workers.
B. They don’t need to find correct change to pay the driver.
C. They can pay for things up front like a delivery car and gas.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How long before the scheduled time did the bus leave?
A. Ten minutes. B. Thirty minutes. C. An hour.
2.When did the woman probably get on the next bus?
A. At 4:35. B. At 4:45. C. At 5:05.
3.What is the man worried about?
A. The daily expense. B. The woman’s safety. C. The public transportation.
4.What does the woman decide to do in the end?
A. Buy a car.
B. Work for the newspaper.
C. Complain to the local government.
