Virginia is set to begin enforcing the toughest drunken-driving punishment, one that will require thousands of first-time offenders—whether they were highly drunk or slightly over the limit—to install in their cars blood- alcohol testing devices that can lock the ignition. The devices work like this—A driver must blow into a blood alcohol device linked to the car’s ignition. If the result is higher than the legal limit, the car will not start. The device also requires random “rolling retests” once the driver is on the road.
Virginia’s current law requires only repeated offenders or those with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 or higher to have an ignition interlock device in their cars.
The new law, which takes effect in July, will roughly increase the number of people required to use ignition interlock devices four times, and offenders will have to pay about $ 480 for a typical six-month installation.
The measure has caused a debate between groups battling drunken driving and those representing offenders. Such groups as Mother Against Drunken Driving and The Washington Regional Alcohol Program say that Virginia’s 274 alcohol-related road deaths and more than 5,500 injuries in 2010 remained unacceptably high despite years of cracking down on drunken driving. Ignition interlock devices, they say, reduce repeat offenses. But some public defenders and lawyers argue that the devices are too severe a punishment for offenders at the legal blood alcohol limit 0.08, and that the court system will be burdened by more cases going to trial and lower-income drivers will be affected by the fees.
Del. Sal R. Iaquinto, who sponsored the bill, had a simple reply for concerns about the costs of the interlock devises: “How much does a life cost?” “Blowing into a tube for six months, you will remember that,” Iaquinto said, “And you’re not likely to offend again.”
【小题1】The underlined word “ignition” in Paragraph 1probably refers to the part in a car where ___________.

A.the alarm goes offB.the engine startsC.the door opensD.the car is fueled
【小题2】Who are required to install the blood alcohol devices according to the current law?
A.The first time drunken-driving offenders.
B.The drivers who are not able to pay offence fees.
C.The repeat drunken-driving offenders.
D.Drivers whose blood alcohol level is below 0.15.
【小题3】The reason why some defenders and lawyers oppose the new law is that ____________.
A.fewer cases go to trial
B.lower-income drivers will not afford to drink again
C.interlock devices increase repeat offenses
D.the devices are too severe a punishment for offenders
【小题4】The debate aroused by the measure implies that ___________.
A.prevention is better than cureB.no law is absolutely perfect
C.punishment is the key to allD.justice has long arms
【小题5】What is Del. Sal R. Iaquinto’s attitude towards the new law?
A.Negative.B.Indifferent.C.flexible.D.workable.

Virginia is set to begin enforcing the toughest drunken-driving punishment, one that will require thousands of first-time offenders—whether they were highly drunk or slightly over the limit—to install in their cars blood- alcohol testing devices that can lock the ignition. The devices work like this—A driver must blow into a blood alcohol device linked to the car’s ignition. If the result is higher than the legal limit, the car will not start. The device also requires random “rolling retests” once the driver is on the road.

Virginia’s current law requires only repeated offenders or those with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 or higher to have an ignition interlock device in their cars.

The new law, which takes effect in July, will roughly increase the number of people required to use ignition interlock devices four times, and offenders will have to pay about $ 480 for a typical six-month installation.

The measure has caused a debate between groups battling drunken driving and those representing offenders. Such groups as Mother Against Drunken Driving and The Washington Regional Alcohol Program say that Virginia’s 274 alcohol-related road deaths and more than 5,500 injuries in 2010 remained unacceptably high despite years of cracking down on drunken driving. Ignition interlock devices, they say, reduce repeat offenses. But some public defenders and lawyers argue that the devices are too severe a punishment for offenders at the legal blood alcohol limit 0.08, and that the court system will be burdened by more cases going to trial and lower-income drivers will be affected by the fees.

Del. Sal R. Iaquinto, who sponsored the bill, had a simple reply for concerns about the costs of the interlock devises: “How much does a life cost?” “Blowing into a tube for six months, you will remember that,” Iaquinto said, “And you’re not likely to offend again.”

1.The underlined word “ignition” in Paragraph 1probably refers to the part in a car where ___________.

A.the alarm goes off   B.the engine starts    C.the door opens     D.the car is fueled

2.Who are required to install the blood alcohol devices according to the current law?

A.The first time drunken-driving offenders.

B.The drivers who are not able to pay offence fees.

C.The repeat drunken-driving offenders.

D.Drivers whose blood alcohol level is below 0.15.

3.The reason why some defenders and lawyers oppose the new law is that ____________.

A.fewer cases go to trial

B.lower-income drivers will not afford to drink again

C.interlock devices increase repeat offenses

D.the devices are too severe a punishment for offenders

4.The debate aroused by the measure implies that ___________.

A.prevention is better than cure             B.no law is absolutely perfect

C.punishment is the key to all                D.justice has long arms

5.What is Del. Sal R. Iaquinto’s attitude towards the new law?

A.Negative.          B.Indifferent.        C.flexible.           D.workable.

 

 

A ferry carrying more than 900 people sank in the southern Philippines on Sunday. Most of the passengers have been rescued, but some people are still missing and at least nine have died.

The Philippine Coast Guard says it received a call for help from Superferry 9 early Sunday morning local time, when the ship started listing(倾斜) to its starboard side. The captain ordered passengers and crew to abandon ship about an hour later. The ship sank around 10 am local time, off Siocon Bay in Zamboanga del Norte province. The ship left General Santos City in the southern island of Mindanao Saturday morning heading for Iloilo City in the central Philippines. It was carrying 847 passengers and 117 crew members.

The Philippine Coast Guard said passing ships and the Philippine Navy rescued more than 800 people. Philippines Navy spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Edgard Arevalo said, "Most of them when rescued from the water were having difficulty breathing and most of them were weak. There was an immediate need for doctors and nurses to attend to their needs, as well as for drinking water."

Coast guard officials said it is still not clear what caused the ferry to list and said an investigation will be done as soon as rescue operations are over. The weather in the area was reported as being clear at that time, although a  storm was attacking the northern Philippines.

Many Filipinos rely on ferries to travel between islands in the Philippines, but accidents are common especially during the rainy season. Last year, some 800 people died when a ferry sank

1. What does the underlined word “abandon” in paragraph 2 mean ?

A. Watch       B. Leave       C. Protect     D. Keep

2. Which of the following statements about the accident is TRUE ?

A. It took the ferry an hour to sink.

B. The ship was going to General Santos City when it sank.

C. Most passengers got immediate nursing care after they were rescued

D. So far, only a few passengers have found dead in the accident.

3. We can infer from the passage that_____

A. the reason why the ferry sank will be found out soon.

B. ferries are important in many people’s lives in the Philippines

C. people in the Philippines seldom take a ferry during the rainy season

D. a worse accident has never happened on the seas in the Philippines before

 

“There is an out – of – date idea that children grow up and leave home when they’re 18,and the truth is far from that,” says Mr.Larry Bumpass of the University of Wisconsin.Today unexpected numbers of young adults are living with their parents.“There is a great change in the middle class,” declares Allan Schnaiberg of Northwestern University, whose son, 19, moved back in after an absence of eight months.

    Scientists show a number of reasons for this return to the nest.The marriage age is rising, a condition that makes home and its pleasantness particularly attractive to young people.A high divorce (离婚) rate and a low remarriage rate make some differences.For some, the expense of an away - from - home college education has become so great that many students now attend local schools.Even after graduation, young people find their wings tied by terrible housing costs.

    Living at home, says Knighton, a school teacher, continues to give security (安全保卫) and moral(道义的) support.Her mother agreed.“Its strange for the kids to pay all that money for rent.It makes sense for kids to stay at home.” But sharing the family home requires changes for all.There are the hassles over bathrooms, telephones and privacy.Some families, however, manage the careful balancing act.But for others, it proves too difficult.Michelle Del Turco, 24, has been home three times and left three times.“What I considered a social drink, my dad considered an alcohol (酒精) problem,” she explains.“He never liked anyone I dated, so I either had to hide away or meet them at friends' houses.”

    Just how long should adult children live with their parents before moving on? Most scientists feel lengthy homecomings are a mistake.Children, can end up with a sense of defeat and failure.And aging parents, who should be enjoying some freedom, find themselves stuck with too many things.Many agree that brief visits, however, can work well.

1.According to the author, there was once a trend in the U.S.________.

    A.for young adults to leave their parents and live separately

    B.for middle class young adults to stay with their parents

    C.for married young adults to move back home after a lengthy absence

    D.for young adults to get jobs nearby in order to live with their parents

2.Which of the following does not lead to young adults returning to the nest?

    A.Young adults find housing costs too high.

    B.Young adults are not old enough.

    C.Young adults look for parental comfort and support.

    D.Quite a number of young adults attend local schools.

3.The underlined word “hassles” in the passage probably means _________.

    A.agreements                           B.worries

    C.disadvantages                        D.quarrels

4.According to the passage what is the best for both parents and children?

    A.They should share the family expenses.

    B.Children should leave their parents when they are grown up.

    C.Adult children should live away from their parents and visit their parents from time to time.

    D.Parents should support their adult children when they are in trouble.

5..One of the disadvantages of young adults returning to slay with their parents is that ______.

    A.there will certainly be inconveniences in even-day life

    B.most parents find it difficult to keep a bigger family going

    C.the young adults try to be overprotected by their parents

    D.public opinion is against young adults staying with their parents

 

 

Crossing Texas and Mexico, the Big Bend region is high in biodiversity(生物的多样性). It’s a place so untamed that if something doesn’t bite, stick, or sting, it’s probably a rock.

You know you have arrived in the heart of the Chihuahuan Desert when it feels as if you have fallen off the edge of the earth and into the rabbit hole. Nothing is as it appears. Moths (蛀虫) are the size of birds. Are those twin pillars (柱) of black rock (a landmark known as Mule Ear Peaks) ten miles (16 kilometers) away or fifty (80 kilometers)? Visibility (能见度) reaches more than a hundred miles on a clear day, and since there are few roads or buildings to use as milestones, distance is difficult to judge.

This is a place where water runs uphill, where rainbows have to wait for rain. The line between myth (虚构的故事) and reality is unclear. Stare long enough at the Chisos Mountains or the Sierra del Carmen, the two mountain ranges, known as sky islands, which lie on the land, and they rise and float above the plain.

The vast Chihuahuan Desert is a land of no people. There is always the chance you’ll die of thirst. The “You Can Die”possibilities are endless, and keep some visitors — 350,000 a year to Big Bend National Park, built in 1944 — from coming back. Those who do return are left to think of the remarkable courage of the brave few who have managed to survive in this terrible environment.

1.The underlined word“untamed”in Paragraph 1 means“________”.

A.untouched

B.wild

C.unchanged

D.fresh

2.Why do the twin pillars of black rock seem ten or fifty miles away?

A.They were put so far away.

B.They lie across the Chihuahuan Desert.

C.It is difficult to judge the distance, with few milestones.

D.One lies in the Chisos Mountains, the other in the Sierra del Carmen.

3.How many years are there since the Big Bend National Park was built?

A.350,000 years.

B.350 years.

C.66 years.

D.44 years.

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A.The natural wonders of the Chihuahuan Desert.

B.Everything you see is not what it seems in the Chihuahuan Desert.

C.The terrible environment of deserts in Texas and Mexico.

D.A special place where none who go can return.

5.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A.There are all kinds of living things in the Chihuahuan Desert.

B.No people live in the Big Bend region.

C.Nothing is as it appears in the Big Bend region.

D.Traveling in the Big Bend region is dangerous.

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网