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  Many years ago, when most people got their water direct from wells, they were sometimes annoyed by a dark liquid which came out of the ground and polluted the water.It smelt bad and was extremely dirty.Some people discovered that it was good for caulking(填……以防漏)boats-it prevented water getting in through cracks in the wood.Others found it was a good medicine for the stomach.But most people thought it was a nuisance(麻烦事).Today we have a rather different opinions about this substances as crude oil.

  In 1885,a young teacher at Yale University, Benjamin Silliman, became interested in crude oil.He soon found that it could be used as fuel for heating and lighting.So he asked his friend Edwin Drake, a railwayman, to try to produce this oil on his land in Philadelphia.Drake tried to collect the oil, which was seeping to the surface, by digging a large hole.This was not successful and flow out in a great stream.The first oil well had started production and the age of oil was just approaching.Today, J.P.Getty and Hughes, who are said to be the world's two richest men, both have fortunes based on oil-the first on the Standard Oil Co.and the second

on a highly fortunes efficient oil drilling tool.

(1)

Silliman was said to be the man ________.

[  ]

A.

who dig the first oil

B.

who tried to collect the oil by digging

C.

who discovered its usefulness for heating and lighting

D.

who tried to produce this oil

(2)

According to the first paragraph, people dislike crude oil because ________.

[  ]

A.

it affected people's noses

B.

it affected their bodies

C.

it polluted their water

D.

all of the above

(3)

From the passage we would say that ________.

[  ]

A.

Philadelphia was rich in oil resources

B.

Edwin Drake was a young teacher, too

C.

Drake's first efforts to collect the oil were successful

D.

Drake failed to collect the oil by drilling

(4)

By the example of J.P.Getty and Hughes, the author implies that ________.

[  ]

A.

the latter was a successful man

B.

oil is black gold

C.

most people try to have their fortunes based on oil

D.

those who want to be the richest men in the world must run oil industry

    The total continent of Antarctica, from its mountains to the seas full of blue whales, emperor penguins and leopard seals, is, by means of international agreement, classified as a nature preserve. The Antarctic Treaty took effect in 1998, and doesn’t allow mining and oil drilling for at least fifty years anywhere within the boundaries of Antarctica. The treaty places a strong emphasis on the protection of the natural environment but not development. All wildlife threats including dogs and chemicals used for killing pests are also banned.

    The agreement has been set by some countries to keep Antarctica free of commercialism and industrial development. This agreement was signed in 1991 by the 26 leading nations with scientific interest in the land. Some of the nations in the agreement are the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, and most of the primary European nations.

    The rules made by this treaty ended over 15 years of lobbying(游说)by environmental groups and put a stop to diplomatic(外交的)talks. In addition to preventing all oil drilling and mining, the 35 scientific outposts(前哨站) on Antarctica are required to remove all rubbish and clean up all places where unwanted waste is left. It keeps scientific stations from discharging untreated waste water into the surrounding waters.

     Sled dogs were what explorers like Norway’s Roald Amundsen used to reach the South Pole in 1911. Dogs, however, were banned because they are a recent danger to the penguins and other native birds.

    With laws enforced(实施)in 26 nations, each nation will be responsible for enforcing the rules individually. If the country’s government refuses to become involved when its citizens disobey the rules, the other nations would apply pressure to solve the issue. There are many people who see this treaty as an environmental success story.

55. The Antarctic Treaty was signed to ________.

A. attract more tourists to Antarctica

B. protect the environment of Antarctica

C. forbid diplomatic talks between countries

D. promote scientific research on Antarctica

56. Dogs are forbidden on Antarctica because they________ .

A. may pollute the surrounding environment

B. are a threat to the birds there

C. are of little use there

D. may face a great threat

57. We can infer from the text that________.

A. environmental groups are satisfied with the Antarctic Treaty

B. it is difficult to enforce the treaty

C. there are no natural resources on Antarctica

D. tourism is not allowed on Antarctica

58. Which of the following is TRUE about the Antarctic Treaty?

A. Some countries have broken the rules of it.

B. It was signed in 1998.

C. It’s effective in protecting the environment of Antarctica.

D. It fails to achieve its original purpose.

Paul Neal Adair was born in Houston, Texas in nineteen fifteen. While growing up, he became known as Red Adair because his hair was bright red. As a young man, Red Adair dropped out of high school to help support his family. He worked as a laborer for several different companies. In nineteen thirty-eight, Adair got his first oil-related job with the Otis Pressure Control Company.

During World War Two, Adair served on a trained army team that removed and destroyed bombs. After the war, he returned to Houston and took a job in putting out fires in oil wells for fourteen years. But in nineteen fifty-nine, Adair started his own company. During his thirty-six years in business, Red Adair and his crews battled more than two thousand fires all over the world. Some were on land. Others were on ocean oil-drilling structures. Some fires were in burning oil wells. Others were in natural gas wells.

Putting out oil well fires can be difficult, but Red Adair developed modern methods to extinguish(熄灭) and cover burning oil wells. They became known in the industry as Wild Well Control techniques. In addition to explosives(炸药), the techniques involved large amounts of water and dirt. Adair also developed special equipment made of bronze metal to help extinguish oil well fires.

Needless to say, Red Adair was a leader in this specialized and extremely dangerous profession. Red Adair was known for not being afraid. He was also known for his sense of calm and safety. None of his workers were ever killed while putting out oil well or gas fires. He described his work this way: “It scares you -- all the noise, the rattling, the shaking. But the look on everyone's face, when you are finished and packing, it is the best smile in the world; and there is nobody hurt, and the well is under control.”

Red Adair had spent his seventy-sixth birthday in Kuwait working side by side with his crew. When asked when he might retire, he told reporters: “Retire? I do not know what that word means. As long as a man is able to work, and he is productive out there and he feels good – keep at it.”

Red Adair died in two thousand four. He was eighty-nine years old. At his funeral(葬礼), many family members and friends honored him by wearing red clothes. Many Americans regard Red Adair as a hero. He lived his life on the edge of danger. He was known for his willingness to risk his own life to save others.

Title: Red Adair and his dream

Adair’s experience

▲Young Adair quitted high school to (1)       his family and got his first oil-related job.

▲During World War Two, Adair served on a trained army team

▲After the war, he took a (2)      in putting out fires in oil wells.

▲(3)      years later, Adair started his own company.

Adair’s achievements

▲Adair and his crews battled more than two thousand fires all over the world.

▲Adair developed new methods and special (4)      to deal with oil well fires.

▲Adair was a (5)      in the dangerous profession

(6)  _ for Adair’s success

▲Red Adair was known for his (7)      .

▲(8)       stop working as long as one is able to work.

Judgment on Adair

He is a hero in people’s eyes because he is (9)       to save others at the cost of his own (10)      .

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