Thomas, the pioneering White House reporter known for putting presidents on the hot seat, died at 92.

To those who regularly watch presidential press conferences, Helen Thomas is a familiar figure. Usually dressed in red and always seated in the front row, she is always the first or second reporter the president calls upon. It is an honour she has earned. Besides, it affords her the perfect opportunity to do what she does best—challenge the president and other public officials to tell the plain truth. She said, “ We reporters’ priority(首要事情) is the people’s right to know---without fear or favor. We are the people’s servants.”

Helen Thomas was born in Kentucky in 1920. All the nine Thomas' children were brought up to value education, and all were expected to make something of themselves through working hard. She decided to become a reporter while in high school. After receiving her bachelor's degree in 1942, Thomas headed for Washington D.C, looking for a newspaper job. Soon, she landed one at Washington Daily News. Her duty included fetching coffee and doughnuts for the paper's reporters and editors. This young woman found the atmosphere exciting, believing she had made the right career choice.

Her big break came when she was sent to Florida to report on the vacation of President John F.Kennedy and his family. Once President Kennedy took office, Thomas changed her focus from the president's family to his policies. She began attending the daily press briefings at the White House as well as presidential press conferences. Thomas has covered every president since Kennedy. Over the years, Thomas found her job “thrilling and inspiring”, but never boring. And she took seriously her duty to “keep an eye on the president” and keep American people informed.

1.What can we learn about Helen Thomas from the passage?

A.Her career took off after covering President Kennedy.

B.Her first job was to deliver doughnuts to a news agency.

C.She was born into a large family in Kentucky in 1942.

D.She decided to be a reporter while in college.

2.Paragraph 3 is written to show Helen Thomas________.

A.is a good decision maker for her career

B.appreciates education and hard work

C.wants to be famous by writing reports

D.has great support from her family

3.What does Helen Thomas think of her work?

A.Unbearable. B.Exciting.

C.Challenging. D.Unforgettable.

4.What can be the best title for the passage?

A.A reporter for Washington Daily News

B.A reporter challenging President Kennedy

C.A reporter from an ordinary family

D.A reporter sticking to the facts

China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them, all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I've found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However, people still use their bicycles to get around. For many, it's the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors---silver, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.

It's fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks(人行道). Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can't provide.

Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied(陪伴) my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.

My first ride home was orderly (守秩序的). To be safe, I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn't want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.

Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.

I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.

1.According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?

A. Because they are convenient and inexpensive.

B. Because they are traditional and safe.

C. Because they are colorful and available.

D. Because they are fast and environment friendly.

2.The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended__________.

A. to ride it for fun

B. to experience local culture

C. to use it for transport

D. to improve his riding skills

3.How did the author feel about his street crossing?

A. It was boring. B. It was wonderful.

C. It was lively. D. It was difficult.

4. Which of the following best describes the author's biking experience?

A. The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills.

B. The author took great pleasure in biking.

C. The author was praised by the other bikers.

D. The author was annoyed by the air while riding.

Think about the last time you felt afraid.Was it a fear of height?Did you oversleep on a weekday and fear you’d get into trouble at the office?In any case,you know what it feels like to feel fear.

But one woman doesn’t.The woman,code-named“UM”,gave her first-ever interview after years of being studied by a team of researchers.The woman is given a code name because the researchers want to protect her from anyone who would take advantage of her inability to feel afraid.

UM can’t tell you what fear is because she’s never experienced it.“I wonder what it’s like to actually be afraid of something,”she said.The formal name for the disease is Urbach-Wieth disease,which is characterized by a hoarse(粗哑的)voice,small bumps around the eyes,and calcium deposits(钙沉积的)in the brain.

In the case of UM,the disease has transformed the part of her brain that controls the human response to fear.In the interview,UM talks about an event in her life where she was held at knifepoint and gunpoint,“I was walking to the store,and I saw a man on a park bench.He said.‘Come here,please,’so I went over to him.He grabbed me by the shirt,put a knife to my throat and told me he was going to cut me.I told him,‘Go ahead and cut me,’I wasn’t afraid at a11.And for some reason,he let me go.”

Doctors who have been studying UM’s condition for years have been trying different things that could strike fear into her.They finally figured something out—increasing UM’s carbon dioxide levels.Extra carbon dioxide concentration in the blood is known to cause fear and panic in health individuals.Increasing UM’s carbon dioxide levels did manage to give her a fright.

1.The text starts by_______.

A.challenging the reader

B.solving daily problems

C.1isting situations

D.giving explanations

2.Why is the woman with Urbach-Wieth disease given a code name?

A.To tell her case from other patients.

B.To respect her privacy.

C.To meet the researchers’demands.

D.To ensure her safety.

3.From UM’s case,we can know that Urbach-Wieth disease may________.

A.stop the brain from functioning normally

B.1ead to a decrease in calcium deposits

C.stop the brain from responding quickly

D.1ead to an increase in carbon dioxide

4.What will probably happen to UM?

A.Dying of the Urbach-Wieth disease.

B.Getting the sense of panic.

C.Experiencing another danger.

D.Speaking with a hoarse voice.

请认真阅读下列短文,从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。

Amazingly, US crime figures have been falling for 20 years now.Of course, the big question is, why? And can any lessons be learnt?

One reason could be the fall in the demand for the drug crack.During the 1980s, drug-related crimes soared, mostly caused by desperate crack users.However, according to professor Blumstein, co-author of The Crime Drop in America, news of the dangers of crack use caused its decrease and led to a fall in the number of drug-related crimes.

Some say that the adoption of a zero-tolerance policy in many cities has helped lead to a fall in crime.In New York City, for example, mayor Rudy Giuliani imposed strict and automatic punishments for all crimes, including minor offences such as graffiti and littering.Many believe this has had a very strong deterrent(威慑的) effect.

Another reason could be smarter policing strategies.Anti-theft measures and educating the community about car theft has helped see a drop in crimes in many areas.Also, the use of crime mapping schemes that can discover identify crime peaks in different parts of the city has helped police target hotspots.

Another reason could be that more criminals are now behind bars.Sociologist John Conklin (from Tufts University) says a significant factor behind the fall in crime in the 1990s is the simple fact that many criminals are in jail.In his book Why Crime Rages Fell, he says sentencing was merciful in the 1960s and 1970s, when crime rose.But then more prisons were built and more offenders were imprisoned.

Some have linked the fall in violent crime to a decline in children’s exposure to lead in petrol.Jessica Wolpaw Reyes says, “Even low to moderate levels of exposure can lead to behavioral problems, reduced IQ, hyperactivity(多动症) and youth crimes.You can link the decline in lead between 1975 and 1985 to a decline in violent crime 20 years later.”

Others say that the drop in crime has something to do with birth rates.According to statistics, birth rates peaked between 1957 and 1961, and the proportion of men in the US in their late teens and early 20s (the so-called “criminal age”) was highest in the late 70s and early 80s.However, as time went on, the proportion of people in this age group decrease

Others claim that videogames have helpe

A recent study has suggested that these games are keeping young people off the streets and therefore away from crime.Advocates of this argue that any effects the games may have in encouraging violent behavior is offset by the fact that the games keep potential criminals indoors and in front of the television.

Some argue that the widespread use of camera phones makes some criminals think twice before committing a crime and getting filmed doing it.Also, many believe that the mass use of CCTV has also had an effect.

Finally, some say that petty theft just isn’t worth it any more.The resale value of second-hand goods such as televisions, cameras or clothes is now so low (or even non-existent) that most people see no point in stealing.

So, what do you think?

1.By writing this article, the writer intends to tell us _____.

A.the amazing fact that US crime figures are going down

B.the recent statistics showing that crime rates are falling in the US

C.the answers to the question why US crime figures are falling

D.the special policies adopted by the US police that help a drop in crime

2.“Why Crime Rates Fell” is mentioned in the article to tell readers that _____.

A.drug crack can be extremely dangerous

B.crime mapping schemes help the police discover criminals

C.criminals should be strictly sentenced

D.children shouldn’t be allowed to contact lead

3.The sixth reason mentioned in the article implies that _____ tend to commit crimes.

A.children

B.young people

C.the poor

D.crime victims

4.The underlined word “offset” most probably mean _____.

A.reduced

B.caused

C.imposed

D.demanded

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C 和 D)中,选出最佳选项。

One afternoon I was sitting at my favorite table in a restaurant, waiting for the food I had ordered to arrive. Suddenly I that a man sitting at a table near the window kept glancing in my direction, he knew me. The man had a newspaper in front of him, which he was .to read, but I could that he was keeping an eye on me. When the waiter brought my the man was clearly puzzled (困惑) by the way in which the waiter and I each other. He seemed even more puzzled as went on and it became that all the waiters in the restaurant knew me. Finally he got up and went into the When he came out, he paid his bill and without another glance in my direction.

I called the owner of the restaurant and asked what the man had . “Well,” he said, “that man was a detective (侦探). He you here because he thought you were the man he . ” “What? ” I said, showing my The owner continued, “He came into the kitchen and showed me a photo of the wanted man. I say he looked very much like you! Of course, since we know you, we told him that he had made a . ” “Well, it’s really I came to a restaurant where I’m known, ” I said. “ , I might have been in trouble. ”

1.A. knew B. understood C. recognized D. noticed

2.A. since B. as if C. though D. even if

3.A. flat B. cut C. open D. fixed

4.A. pretending B. thinking C. hoping D. continuing

5.A. guess B. find C. see D. learn

6.A. menu B. food C. paper D. bill

7.A. familiar B. direct C. strange D. funny

8.A. looked at B. chatted with C. laughed at D. talked about

9.A. the waiter B. the dinner C. I D. time

10.A. true B. hopeful C. clear D. possible

11.A. restaurant B. washroom C. office D. kitchen

12.A. left B. acted C. sat down D. calmed down

13.A. wished B. tried C. ordered D. wanted

14.A. met B. caught C. followed D. discovered

15.A. was looking for B. was dealing with C. was to meet D. was to beat

16.A. surprise B. care C. worry D. regret

17.A. can B. must C. need D. may

18.A. discovery B. fortune C. decision D. mistake

19.A. a pity B. lucky C. a chance D. natural

20.A. Thus B. However C. Otherwise D. Therefore

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