题目内容
They crossed in front of me as I was driving out of the store parking lot. My first reaction was anger at being delayed for a whole ten seconds. I quickly became patient when I realised that this was an elderly couple.
The man leaned on his wife who walked in front of him. He not only used her for support but it was obvious that he was blind. The two of them worked as one---each needing the other to function in this fast-changing world.
That little example of true strength changed my whole personal perception(理解) of life that day. Suddenly I wasn’t so mad about having to work a few extra hours on Saturdays. I had my strength, and I was still relatively young.
That picture of those two elderly people walking with dignity and strength stayed with me the entire week. My life wasn’t so bad after all. I had my health and a good job. I had a wonderful, supportive wife. I started to think---not only was I lucky to have it all, but so was that wonderful old couple, who, despite the trials and sufferings of a long life, still had the love and support of each other to carry them through this world.
There are so many people out there just like that couple. My wife and I sometimes picture ourselves in our old age, walking arm-in-arm into the sunset. That image always gives us a warm feeling of comfort. Just remember, none of us would be here if it wasn’t for our elders. We should all have a little extra time and patience when it comes to helping our elder friends.
1.When the author was about to drive away, the couple __________________.
A.got in his way |
B.hit his car |
C. entered the store |
D.asked him for help |
2. After he saw the couple, the author would _________________.
A.drive at a high speed |
B.seldom think of his wife |
C.be impolite to the blind |
D.spend less time complaining |
3. What did the author think of the couple?
A.They lived a happier life than he. |
B.They didn’t live a life without hardships. |
C.They were admirable for their lasting love. |
D.They won respect by walking together. |
4. From the passage, we learn _______________________.
A.the author hated working on Saturdays |
B.the author was happy with his wife |
C.old couples were advised to walk in the sunset |
D.many people like that couple are blind |
1.A2.D3.C4.B
【解析】略
Most laws in the United States and Canada are similar to laws in other countries. For example, it is against the law everywhere to murder a person, and it is illegal to steal money. Everyone knows these laws, but foreign students or tourists in a new country may not know some of the local laws. For instance, a legal action in Peru may be against the law in Korea, and an illegal activity in an Asian city may be perfectly legal in a European city. On the other hand, laws may be the same in various countries but vary in different cities or states of the same nation.
In many cities in the United States, for instance, it is not legal to “jaywalk.” This law may seem strange to visitors. Sometimes they cross a street, and a police officer gives them a ticket. Then they need to pay a fine of $10 to $25. They soon learn to cross a street only in a crosswalk or at a corner. It’s against the law to cross in the middle of the street.
Most people know that states in the United States have different laws about the legal drinking age; this age varies, but in most states no one under twenty-one can buy alcohol, even beer or wine. Also, in most U.S. cities, it is illegal to drink alcohol in public. Of course, liquor is legal in restaurants and bars, but it’s against the law to drink a can of beer, for instance, on a public street. Some people put the can in a paper bag and drink; nobody can see the beer, but it still isn’t legal. In addition, it is illegal to have an open liquor bottle inside a car.
【小题1】 We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ______.
A.it is legal to steal money in some countries |
B.Peru and Korea have completely different laws |
C.there may be different local laws in a country |
D.an Asian city and a European city can’t have the same law |
A.to talk with others while crossing a street |
B.to have a drink while crossing a street |
C.to cross in the middle of the street |
D.to cross a street at a corner |
A.Selling a can of beer to teenagers. |
B.Having a bottle of wine in a Chinese restaurant. |
C.Having an open bottle of beer inside a car. |
D.Drinking a can of beer in a street without being seen. |
Aggressive pedestrians are in fact as dangerous as careless drivers. They cause traffic accidents, injury and death.
These dangerous walkers can be seen in any big city over the world. About 69% of last year’s pedestrian deaths in the US occurred in urban areas. They cross streets ignoring “DON’T WALK” signals, suddenly appear without warning from behind parked vehicles, walk slowly at crossroads with cell phones attached to heads, blocking traffic.
These pedestrians and drivers share a common disregard for the rules of the road, both for selfish reasons. The drivers believe in the power of their machines. If their machines can go faster, they believe they have the right to go faster. If their machines are bigger, they believe they have the right to push smaller vehicles aside. Aggressive pedestrians, on the other hand, believe in the primacy(首位) of the individual, the idea that they are first in any environment, under any circumstances, even when they are on foot in a roaring tide of steel and rubber.
Last year, an estimated 5,220 pedestrians died in traffic accidents. Some 69,000 pedestrians were injured. On average, that worked out to one pedestrian killed in a traffic crash every 101 minutes, and one injured every eight minutes.
The good news is that the accident rate is dropping. For example, the number of pedestrians killed last year was 24 percent less than the number killed in traffic accidents a decade earlier. The bad news is that the basic causes of pedestrian deaths remain pretty much the same----disregard for traffic signals, inattention and crossing roads under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, in fact, was involved in 46 percent of the traffic accidents that resulted in pedestrian deaths. Of those, 31 percent of the pedestrians were found to be drunk.
The bottom line is that the pedestrians must do more to protect their lives as well as the lives of other road users. They can start by obeying traffic signals, using marked cross-walks and calling a cab when they’ve had too much to drink.
【小题1】The passage is mainly about __________.
A.how aggressive pedestrians cause traffic accidents |
B.why so many Americans were killed on roads last year |
C.what the traffic rules of the road about pedestrians were |
D.who are to blame for pedestrian deaths, drunk drivers or the aggressive pedestrians |
A.They know all drivers are skilled and with great care. |
B.They believe individuals are always first. |
C.They think traffic rules have nothing to do with them. |
D.They guess all vehicles will slow down at crossroads. |
A.Disregard for traffic signals | B.Paying no attention to surroundings. |
C.Crossing roads drunk. | D.Overspeeding driving. |
A.Obey traffic signals at crossroads. |
B.Run as fast as possible at crossroads. |
C.Talk on your cell phone if necessary. |
D.Always watch out for big trucks. |
A.Excited. | B.Cold. | C.Concerned | D.Inconnected. |
Flight Distance
Any observant people have noticed that a wild animal will allow a man or other potential enemy to approach only up to a given distance before it escapes. “Flight distance” is the terms used for this interspecies spacing. As a general rule, there is a positive relationship between the size of an animal and its flight distance --- the larger the animal, the greater the distance it must keep between itself and the enemy. An antelope will escape when the enemy is as much as five hundred yards away. The wall lizard’s flight distance, on the other hand, is about six feet. Flight is the basic means of survival for mobile creatures.
Critical Distance
Critical distance apparently is present wherever and whenever there is a flight reaction. “Critical distance” includes the narrow zone separating flight distance from attack distance. A lion in a zoo will flee from an approaching man until it meets a barrier that it cannot overcome. If the man continues the approach, he soon penetrates(穿过,透过)the lion’s critical distance, at which point the cornered lion turns back and begins slowly stalk(逼近)the man.
Social Distance
Social animals need to stay in touch with each other. Loss of contact with the group can be fatal (致命的)for a variety of reasons including exposure to enemies. Social distance is not simply the distance at which an animal will lose contact with his group --- that is, the distance at which it can no longer see, hear, or smell the group --- it is rather a psychological distance, one at which the animal apparently begins to feel anxious when it goes beyond its limits. We can think of it as a hidden band that contains the group.
Social distance varies from species to species. It is quite short --- apparently only a few yards --- among some animals, and quite long among others.
Social distance is not always rigidly(刻板的)fixed but is determined in part by the situation. When the young of apes and humans are mobile but not yet under control of the mother’s voice, social distance may be the length of her reach. This is readily observed among baboons(狒狒)in a zoo. When the baby approaches a certain point, the mother reaches out to seize the end of its tail and pull it back to her. When added control is needed because of danger, social distance shortens. To show this in man, one has only to watch a family with a number of small children holding hands as they cross a busy street.
1.Which of the following is the most suitable explanation to “Flight distance”?
A.Distance between animals of the same species before escaping. |
B.Distance between large and small animals before escaping. |
C.Distance between an animal and its enemy before escaping |
D.Distance between certain animal species before escaping. |
2.If a lion’s critical distance is penetrated, it will ________
A.begin to attack |
B.try to hide |
C.begin to jump |
D.run away |
3.The example of the children holding hands when crossing the street in the last paragraph
shows that ________.
A.social distance is not always needed |
B.there is no social distance among children |
C.humans are different from animals in social distance |
D.social distance is sometimes determined by outside factors |
4.Which of the following one can be the best title of the passage?
A.Critical Distance |
B.Spacing in Animals |
C.Relationship Between Animals |
D.Psychological Distance |