题目内容
The engineer Camillo Olivetti was 40 years old when he started the company in 1908. At his factory in Ivrea, he designed and produced the first Italian typewriter. Today the company’s head office is still in Ivrea, near Turin, but the company is much larger than it was in those days and there are offices all around the world.
By 1930 there was a staff of 700 and the company turned out 13,000 machines a year. Some went to customers in Italy, but Olivetti exported more typewriters to other countries.
Camillo’s son, Adriano, started working for the company in 1924 and later he became the boss. He introduced a standard speed for the production line and he employed technology and design specialists. The company developed new and better typewriters and then calculators (计算器). In 1959 it produced the ELLA computer system. This was the first mainframe (主机) computer designed and made in Italy.
After Adriano died in 1960, the company had a period of financial problems. Other companies, especially the Japanese, made faster progress in electronic technology than the Italian company.
In 1978, Carlo de Benedetti became the new boss. Olivetti increased its marketing and service networks and made agreements with other companies to design and produce more advanced office equipment. Soon it became one of the world’s leading companies in information technology and communications. There are now five independent companies in the Olivetti group ---one for personal computers, one for other office equipment, one for systems and service, and two for telecommunications.
56. From the text we learn that__________.
A. by 1930 Olivetti produced 13,000 typewriters a year
B. Olivetti earned more in the 1960s than in the 1950s
C. some of Olivetti’s 700 staff regularly visited customers in Italy
D. Olivetti set up offices in other countries from the very beginning
57. What was probably the direct result of Olivetti’s falling behind in electronic technology?
A. Adriano’s death. B. A period of financial problem
C. Its faster progress. D. Its agreements with other companies
58. What do we know about Olivetti ?
A. It produced the best typewriter in the word.
B. It designed the world’s first mainframe computer.
C. It exported more typewriters than other computers.
D. It has five independent companies with its head office in Ivrea.
59. The best title for the text would be___________.
A. The Origin of Olivetti B. The Success of Olivetti
C. The History of Olivetti D. The Production of Olivetti
ABDC
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I finished my last work of the week and could hardly wait to get home, take off my nursing shoes, and relax.
As I _36_ my car, I saw one of my _37_ standing by the bus stop. I thought it would only take a couple of extra minutes to give her a ride home, and _38_, it was too cold to be standing outside on the coldest _39_ in January. I didn’t know where she lived, but I was _40_ I would be able to find my way back.
We _41_ about our work as I drove and _42_ we knew it, we arrived at her house. I started driving back. _43_ looked familiar, but at first that didn’t _44_ me. But soon I _45_ something wrong. I recognized nothing. But I told myself to stay _46_.
I was _47_ neighborhoods, streets and even streetlights. I no longer knew where I was now. How could I be so stupid! I looked down at my _48_. It was now 2:30 a.m. My gas was slowly running out. I _49_ the car and turned off the engine. In total defeat, I put my head down on the wheel, _50_. Then I raised my head and saw a(n) _51_ down the road in front of me. I turned my headlights on. A car! I drove a little _52_, got out of my car and knocked on the window of that car. An elderly man _53_ rolled his window down.
I said that I didn’t know how to get back into town. In silence, he started driving. I ran back to my car and drove behind him. Finally I _54_ a familiar street. As I turned to head home, the car disappeared. Then I _55_ my driveway (车道) when the warning light for my gas tank (汽油箱) turned on.
Though so many years have passed, I still thank the old man from my deepest heart.
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This morning, a Virgin Atantin 747 Jumbo Jet became the first commercial airplane to fly on biofuel. The short flight from London to Amsterdam used a blend of 20% babassu(棕榈) oil mixed with 80% conventional jet fuel.
What was really exciting about the flight was the fact that the engine did not have to be altered in any way for the biofuel to work While this is a great initial step in trying to reduce CO2(carbon-dioxide)emissions(排放)from airplanes. there are a lot of hurdles (障碍)that still need to be overcome.
First and foremost, unlike the normal fuel used to run airplanes (known as Jet A),biofuel freezes at high altitudes. Also, Jet‘A’fuel burns consistently (at the same pace),which means it provides a safe and reliable fuel for long flights--engineers are not sure if biofuel will be able to do the same.
The biggest hurdle to a full biofuel switch is our ability to be able to grow enough crops that can be converted to biofuel. There are two concerns that scientists have in this matter – the first is that the land to grow the extra crops will come from clearing more of our forests and the second is that since it competes with what we eat, the price of food will go up.
However, Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines, envisions that if biofuel starts to replace oil on a greater basis, it will be manufactured from algae(藻类)produced in sewage treatment plants, not from food sources.
Birgin Airlines is not the only one trying to look for alternative fuel sources. Earlier this year, an Airbus A380 used another alternative fuel-a man-made mix of gas-to-liquid, in one of its four engines. The flight was tested by Rolls Royce (manufacturer of jet engines), in partnership with Shell (an oil company). Rolls Royce is also working with Air New Zealand on a similar project.
While a complete switch to alternative fuel may take years, it is very encouraging to see airlines, oil companies and airplane manufacturers all coming together to try to make it happen!
【小题1】.Why does Virgin Airlines try to replace normal fuel with biofuel?
A.To cut down the flight cost of the company. |
B.To remove some hurdles for the biofuel to work. |
C.To reduce CO2 emissions from airplanes. |
D.To test plane engines on biofuel. |
A Biofuel cannot run for long flights.
B.Biofuel cannot work at high altitudes.
C.Man has not enough land to grow extra crops for biofuel.
D.It’s not easy for sewage treatment plants to manufacture biofuel.
【小题3】.One of the hurdles to be overcome for a full biofuel switch is to .
A.alter the engine for airplanes |
B.make biofuel burn consistently |
C.open more land to grow more crops |
D.develop sewage treatment plants |
A.there is a long way to go for a complete switch to alternative fuel |
B.it won’t be long before alternative fuel comes into use |
C.airlines, oil companies and airplane manufacturers are reliable |
D.alternative fuel has a bright future |
A.Biofuel-Alternative Fuel Sources. |
B.The First Commercial Flight Powered by Biofuel. |
C.How to Reduce CO2 Emissions from Airplanes. |
D.Vigin Airlines Trying to Alter Fuel Sources. |