More than 12 300 people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless after a powerful undersea earthquake unleashed giant tsunami waves that crashed into the coasts of south and southeast Asia.

The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra early on Sunday was the biggest in 40 years.It triggered waves that reared up into walls of water as high as 10 meters(30 feet) as they hit coastlines in Indonesia,Sri Lanka,India and Thailand.

Aid agencies rushed staff,equipment and money to the region,warning that bodies rotting in the water were already beginning to threaten the water supply for survivors.

Rescue workers also spoke of bodies still caught up on trees after being flung inland by the waves.

“I just couldn’t believe what was happening before my eyes,”Boree Carlson said from a hotel in the Thai resort of Phuket.

“As I was standing there,a car actually floated into the lobby and overturned because the current was so strong,”said the 45-year-old Swede.

“I heard an eerie sound that I have never heard before.It was a high pitched sound followed by a deafening roar,”said a 55-year-old Indian fisherman who gave his name as Chellappa.

“I told everyone to run for their life.”

In Indonesia,an archipelago of 17 000 islands,one official said nearly 4500 people had died.The worst affected area was Bands Aceh,the capital of Aceh Province,where 3000 were killed.More than 200 prisoners escaped from a jail when the tsunami knocked down its walls.In Sri Lanka(斯里兰卡),the death toll also reached 4500 and 1 million people,or 5 percent of its population,were affected.It was the worst natural disaster to hit Sri Lanka.Hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans sheltered in schools and temples overnight,and officials expected the death toll to rise further once rescuers resumed searches after daybreak.In southern India,where at least 3000 were estimated to have died,beaches were littered with submerged cars and wrecked boats.Shanties on the coast were under water.

Thai government officials said at least 392 bodies had been retrieved and they expected the final toll to approach 1000.

The earthquake,of magnitude 8.9 as measured by the U.S. Geological Survery (news-web sites),struck at 7:59 a.m.(1959EST).It was the world’s biggest since 1964,said Julie Martinez at the USGS(news-web sites).

The tsunami was so powerful it smashed boast and flooded areas along the east African coast,3728 miles away.

What does the underlined word “tsunami” probably mean?

A.Tidal wave.                                                  B.Wave.

C.Earthquake.                                                  D.A man who kills many persons.

What does the passage mainly talk about?

A.Asian tsunami kills many people,and many more become homeless.

B.An earthquake happens.

C.The tsunami was so powerful that it smashed boats and people.

D.It was the biggest earthquake in 40 years.

The sea waves hit coastlines in _________.

A.Indonesia                         B.Sri Lanka           C.India and Thailand     D.All of above

London--A morning train rides away, across the channel. English kids discuss the Liverpool's football team in a Paris pub.
Some Parisians have started to travel to work in London.
In the 19th century, Charles Dickens compared the two cities, London and Paris, in A Tale of Two Cities. These days, it might be A tale of One City.
As there are few jobs at home over recent years, perhaps 250,000 Frenchmen moved across the channel. With an undersea tunnel, they could travel between cities in three hours. The European Union freed them from immigration and customs.
Paris, rich in beauty, is more stylish. But London feels more full of life, and more fun until the pubs shut down.
“For me, the difference is that London is real, alive,” said Trevor Wheeler, a financial expert.
Chantal Jaouen, a professional designer, agrees. “I am French, but I’ll stay in London,” she said.
There is, of course, the other view. Julie Lenoux is a student who moved to London two years ago. “I think people laugh more in Paris,” she said.
“Both cities have changed beyond recognition,” said Larry Collins, an author and sometimes a Londoner. Like most people who know both cities well, he finds the two now fit together comfortably. “I first fell in love with Paris in the 1950s. Things are so much more ordered, and life is better.”
But certainly not cheaper. In some parts of London, rents can be twice those on Avenue Foch in Paris.
Deciding between London and Paris requires a lifestyle choice. Like Daphne Benoit, a French journalism student with perfect English, many young people are happy to be close enough so they don’t have to choose. “I love Paris, my little neighborhood, the way I can walk around a centre, but life is too organized,” she said. “In London, you can be whoever you want. No one cares.”
【小题1】It can be inferred that ___________.

A.Paris and London are the two biggest cities in the world
B.In the 19th century, Dickens told his stories in the two cities
C.London and Paris used to be separated
D.Liverpool is a big city in France
【小题2】According to this passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A.People feel it difficult to find a job in Paris.
B.People can't travel to London without a passport.
C.Living in France is more expensive than in London.
D.People can find any job in London.
【小题3】The underlined phrase in Para9 most probably means “_____________”
A.beyond one’s imagination
B.so much that people don’t know them well again
C.so little that people still know them well
D.to people’s satisfaction
【小题4】What’s the meaning of the last two sentences?
A.People can do everything in London.
B.People will feel lonely in London.
C.People in London enjoy living in different ways.
D.People in London enjoy a lawless life.

第三部分 阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)

阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

The man known as the French “ Spiderman” climbed The New York Times building on Thursday to draw attention to global warming, and six hours later another climber made the same climb.

Alain Robert, 45, the first person to climb the 52-story skyscraper, told reporters ahead of the climb on the UN World Environment Day his aim was to raise awareness of global warming since this is one of the main problems for our time.

His manager Julie Cohen said she knew nothing about the second climber. She added that Robert’s climbs were without risk and he was a professional climber.

Robert climbed without equipment except for climbing shoes. He was greeted at the top by the police who arrested him. 

The second climber was also immediately arrested at the top by police. His climb at the height of the evening rush hour drew crowds and was shown live on at least one TV station.

Several people in the crowd shouted“jump” when he stopped part of the way to rest, but there was a loud cheer as he reached the top. Wearing red pants , black climbing shoes and a white T-shirt that read “ Malaria(疟疾) No More”, the man laughed as he was led away by the police from the building.

“ We don’t look at him as a modern spiderman,” said James Coil, a member of the police emergency services unit. “ We look at him as somebody who not only puts his life at risk but is one of members of the public as well.”

Martin Edlund, director of “ Malaria No More”, which aims to prevent the one million yearly deaths from malaria, said the climber had nothing to do with them, but they appreciated his enthusiasm.

56.When was Alain Robert arrested at the top of the building by police?

A. In the early morning.     B. In the late afternoon.

C. In the evening.          D. About at noon.

57. We learn from the text that Robert’s climb was________.

A. cheered by the police    B. supported by his manager

C. prevented by the owner of the skyscraper

D. laughed at by the people watching him

58. The second climber did the same thing as Robert with the purpose of_____.

A. showing that he is as good as Robert 

B. drawing people’s attention to global warming

C. doing something for people’s health improvement

D. making himself well known in the world

59.The underlined sentence shows that________.

A. risk is popular in the USA

B. the Americans go in for risks

C. the actions like the two men’s are forbidden in the USA

D. the USA government supports the actions of risk

 

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