WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday announced a new

plan to renew and expand the nation's roads, railways and runways, in a bid (努力) to restart the sluggish economy and to help create jobs.

Obama announced the billion-dollar infrastructure(基础设施) spending program at an event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, marking the Labor Day holiday in the United States.

The proposal calls for investments over six years, including rebuilding and modernizing 150,000 miles (241,350 kilometers) of roads, 4,000 miles (6,430 kilometers) of railways and 150 miles ( 241 kilometers) of runways.

"It sets up an Infrastructure Bank to leverage(杠杆;利用) federal dollars and focus on the smartest investment. All of this will not only create jobs now, but will make our economy run better over the long haul," Obama said.

"This is a plan that will be fully paid for and will not add to the deficit over time," said Obama.

The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 9.6 percent in August, reflecting business reluctance to hire among uncertain economic prospects, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Friday.

The president admitted that new jobs "have not been coming fast enough" in the United States.

"These years would be some of the most difficult in our history. The problems facing working families are nothing new, but they are more serious than ever. And that makes our cause more urgent than ever," he added.

What does the underlined word “sluggish” probably mean?

A. 繁荣的                   B. 崩溃的                   C. 疲软的                   D. 行动迅速的

What’s the main idea of this passage?

A. The US president launched a new program aiming at improving the nation’s infrastructure.

B. The US unemployment rate rose according to the Labor Department.

C. These years will be the most difficult in the American history.

D. More roads, railways and runways will be rebuilt and modernized.

Which of the following will be changed most in length?

A. Roads.                    B. Railways.              C. Runways.                D. Highways.

In 1988, Mary Anderson was at the Miami airport checking in for a flight to Norway to be with her husband when she was told she wouldn’t be able to check her luggage without paying a $100 surcharge (超载) .

Mary had no money as her new husband had left for Norway and she had no one else to call .

 “ I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without ,” says Mary .

As tears ran down her face , a voice behind her said , “That’s okay, I’ll pay for her .”

Rather surprised , Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before . He had a gentle and kind voice that was firm and decisive .

Although this happened twenty years ago , Mary still remembers the authority that radiated (发出)from the man .

Mary was pleased to bring her luggage to Norway and told the stranger she would give his money back . The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper and gave it to Mary . She thanked him repeatedly . When she finally walked off towards the boarding gate, he waved goodbye to her .

That man turned out to be Barack Obama .

Mary paid the money back to Obama the day she joined her husband . At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker in Chicago , and had started his law studies at Harward University .

In the spring of 2006 , Mary’s parents heard Obama was considering a run for President . They wrote a letter saying that they would support him. At the same time , they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier .

And Obama replied , “ I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport . I’m happy I could help her then , and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway . Please send her my best wishes . Sincerely , Barack Obama,

United States Senator .”

Why did Mary feel completely desperate ?

 A. She had missed the only flight to Norway .

 B. Her new husband abandoned her suddenly .

 C. She didn’t have the money to buy a ticket .

 D. She had no money to pay for the surcharge .

How did Mary feel when someone offered to help her ?

 A. Amazed       B. Puzzled     C. Delighted      D. Annoyed

Mary asked the stranger to leave his name and address _________ .

  A. in order to contact him later              B. so that she could repay him

  C. because he impressed her deeply          D. because she fell in love with him

What’s the passage mainly about ?

  A. A letter from Barack Obama           B. Mary’s parents support Obama

  C. Obama helped a stranger 20 years ago    D. Mary was lucky to get help at the airport

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama swept to victory as the first black president in the US history Tuesday night in an electoral college landslide that overcame racial barriers as old as America itself. "Change has come," he told a huge group of cheering supporters.
In his first speech as victor, Obama catalogued the challenges ahead. "The greatest of a lifetime," he said, "two wars, a planet in danger, the worst financial crisis in a century."
He added, "There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face."
The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, the Democratic senator from Illinois sealed his historic triumph by defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in a string of wins in hard-fought battleground states -- Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Iowa and more.
In his speech, Obama invoked (引用) the words of Lincoln and echoed John F. Kennedy.
"So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in (努力投入) and work harder," he said.
He and his running mate, Joseph Biden of Delaware, will take their oaths(宣誓)of office as president and vice president on Jan. 20, 2009.
Obama will move into the Oval Office as leader of a country that is almost certainly in recession (不景气), and fighting two long wars, one in Iraq, the other in Afghanistan.
Obama has said his first order of presidential business will be to tackle the economy. He has also pledged to withdraw most US combat troops from Iraq within 16 months.
【小题1】What is special about Barack Obama, the newly-elected president of the United States?

A.He has a black father and a white mother.
B.He is the first black president in the US history.
C.He defeated Republican Sen. John McCain easily.
D.He will move into the White Palace on Jan. 20, 2009.
【小题2】What Obama emphasized in his first speech were ________.
A.dangersB.warsC.challengesD.financial problems
【小题3】The first issue Obama will focus his attention on may probably be to ________.
A.withdraw most US combat troops from IraqB.care for environmental protection
C.declare two wars in Iraq and AfghanistanD.deal with the problems of economy
【小题4】According to the passage, Obama’s attitude toward the challenges he faces is ________.  
A.positiveB.negativeC.ambiguousD.worried

Have you listened to music on an iPod? Used a computer at home? Those are just two of the ways your life was touched by the work of Steve Jobs.
Jobs, one founder of Apple Computers, died on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at the age of 56. He had been fighting with cancer since 2004.
Steven Jobs was born in Los Altos, California. He and his childhood friend, Steve Wozniak, designed and built the first Apple computer in his parents’ garage in the 1970s. The Apple II, built when Jobs was just 21 years old, was the first personal computer to be widely sold to the public.
Steven Jobs didn’t stop there. He went on to invent more devices (设备) that allowed people to bring their own creativity to computing: the Macintosh, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad. People found his products beautiful and easy to use.
Jobs also changed the music and film industries. He started Pixar, a film production company in 1986. Toy Story was the world’s first computer-animated feature film (电脑动画电影).
“Steve was among the greatest of American innovators — brave enough to think differently, confident enough to believe he could change the world, and clever enough to do it,” said President Barack Obama. “By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only easy to reach, but fun ... And there may be no greater praise to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his death on a device he invented.”
All around the world, people are talking about the effects that Jobs’ creations have had. By creating products that surprised people, he changed the way people worked and lived their everyday lives.
【小题1】Which of the following about Steve Jobs is NOT true?

A.He was born in California in 1955.
B.He built the Apple II in 1970.
C.He set up a film production company at 31.
D.He was found to suffer from cancer at 49.
【小题2】The underlined word “innovators” in Paragraph 6 could best be replaced by _____.
A.inventorsB.businessmenC.producersD.founders
【小题3】According to Barack Obama, the highest praise for Steve Jobs is that _____.
A.his products are widely used all over the world
B.his products are thought to be beautiful and easy to use
C.people all over the world are sad at his death
D.people learned about his death from his products
【小题4】Jobs changed the way we work and live by _____.
A.building the first personal computer
B.making computer-animated feature films
C.developing the music industry
D.creating surprising products

The ISS project is a partnership of five - the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.

At the moment, no program for its use nor any money has been put in place to support the platform beyond 2015.  

One of the biggest issues stopping an agreement on station-life extension(延长期) is the human spaceflight examination ordered by US President Barack Obama.

The Americans are developing a new vision for space exploration, and the rockets and spacecraft they will need to start it. The future of US joining in the ISS is closely tied to the result of the examination.

Mr Dordain, the European Space Agency's (Esa) Director General, said no one partner in the ISS project could alone call an end to the platform. A meeting would be held in Japan later in the year where he hoped the partners could get something clearly going forward. He said it was also necessary the benefits(成效) were increased and the costs were reduced. Increasing the benefits could include finding new uses for the station.

Esa has called for ideas on how to use the ISS as a platform for Earth observation(观测站). Mr Dordain said the agency had received about 20 very good proposals.

On the issue of reducing costs, there were many ideas on the table, he explained.

He also questioned whether it was necessary for the station to have six astronauts at all times. If there were periods when little maintenance(维修) was required or the experiment load was light, could the ISS run on a smaller group of people, he suggested.

Construction of the space station should finish this year. Next month, two components built in Europe - a connecting node and a robotic control room - will be flown to the platform by the US shuttle Endeavour.

Tranquility and the Cupola, as they are known, will complete the non-Russian side of the ISS.

1.Why will America joining in the ISS be tied to the result of the examination?

A.Because America is the greatest power among them

B.Because America provides most of the money

C.Because they need America’s rockets and spacecraft

D.Because Obama ordered the human spaceflight examination

2.According to Mr Dordain, how should they do to reduce costs?

A.To find new uses for the station

B.To make little maintenance

C.To reduce the experiment load

D.To have fewer astronauts sometimes

3.Where do you think you can read this passage?

A.In a story book                         B.In a handbook

C.In an advertisement                     D.In a newspaper

 

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