Studying volcanoes is a demanding profession. Hazel Rymer frequently has to struggle through rainforests, climb to the top of mountains, then climb 200 metres into the crater of active volcanoes. But the 38-year-old volcanologist does her best to make it sound less alarming than it is. “Driving to work is more risky,” she insists. “And the deepest I go into the crater of a volcano is about 300 metres,” she adds, trying to make it all sound as ordinary as taking the dog for a walk.
Hazel has been studying volcanoes for a long time, so it’s not surprising she is used to the danger. Her interest in volcanoes began at school. A teacher gave her a book about Pompeii. “I remember reading about the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of the city,” she explains. “The thought of all those people just frozen in time had quite an effect on me and I am still excited by their dangerous beauty today.”
Nowadays, volcanoes are getting more and more unpredictable. There have been many changes in sea level caused by global warming and melting ice caps. These have resulted in some dormant volcanoes erupting, so studying them is more dangerous than ever before. Hazel says that although she doesn’t take any unnecessary risk she has had some frightening moments. Her worst experience was on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, when she was slowly surrounded by lava. “I had a choice of walking ten hours to get around the lava flow or just walking across it,” she explains. She chose to pick a path across the cooler rocks in the lava stream. “I guess it was five metres. The flow was 1,000°C, so if you hesitated your boots would begin to melt. It was scary, but it really was a practical decision --- there wasn't time to do anything else.”
And what about the future? “I haven’t been to the volcanoes in Indonesia yet. And I would love to spend some time working in the Antarctic,” she says. “I would also like to know why quiet lava flows erupt from some volcanoes and why other volcanoes go bang.” In other words, Hazel Rymer won’t be exchanging her volcanoes for the relative safety of driving to work just yet.
【小题1】Hazel’s claim that “driving to work is more risky” than exploring volcanoes shows that ______.

A.people have exaggerated the dangers of volcanoes in the past
B.Hazel does not really understand the dangerous situations she puts herself in.
C.there are many bad drivers in the place where Hazel lives
D.Hazel is being modest and understating the dangers she faces
【小题2】When did Hazel first become interested in volcanoes?
A.When she was visiting Italy.
B.When she was at school.
C.When she was twenty.
D.When she saw Vesuvius.
【小题3】The underlined word “these” (in paragraph 3) refers to __________.
A.melting ice-caps B.volcanic eruptions
C.changes in sea level D.higher temperatures
【小题4】When Hazel was on Mount Etna she had to ________.
A.take a dangerous route
B.take an unnecessary risk
C.leave her boots behind
D.walk for ten hours around the mountain
【小题5】In the future, Hazel wants to ________.
A.revisit volcanoes she knows
B.go on holiday to the Antarctic
C.find a less dangerous job
D.discover new things about volcanoes

完形填空 (共20小题;每小题l分,满分20分)

When Andra Rush started her trucking company, all she had was an old van,two used pick-up trucks and the simple certainty of a 23-year-old girl. But she planned to make her fortune in about four years to    36   her true goal: dealing with poverty on Native American reservations across North America. "I thought I could retire by the time I was 27," says Rush, "At that age, you don't know  37  you don't know."

Rush is 49 now and  38  working hard. Her tiny start-up just outside Detroit has  39   to a $400 million North American business. Today Rush is a(an)  40  not only for Native Americans but also for women in the male-controlled world of trucking.

Rush was  41 30 miles outside Detroit. When the teenage Rush visited the reservation for the first time, she was  42  by the poverty and lack of hope. "I really wanted to  43  " she says.

She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1982. She took a nursing job with a 44 pay and then practiced at an air goods company, 45 the speed of package pickups and deliveries made a little more a little more profits. "I thought I could do that 46 ," Rush says.

Within six months, Rush had ten employees, and clients(客户)  47  Ford and GM were paying her to 48 small packages from the airport. Ford was the first to offer her a job trucking parts between its plants and supplier.

By 2001, many of Rush's 1,000 employees were Native Americans, working alongside people of every    49   But she felt she hadn't done enough. 50  she joined forces with a Canadian parts maker to design and gather auto components.

She located the plants near reservations, 51 opportunities where they were needed most. By 2009, her auto parts business was earning $370 million   52   .

She's come a long way from the  53    23-year-old who thought "the cash would just roll in." But Rush wouldn't change a thing: "I love my job," she says. "I 54  the fact that you can start to get some motivation and keep   55   yourself—and then suddenly you lift your head and it's been 25 years"

 

1.A.make            B. accomplish        C.  receive      D.arrive

2.A.what            B.which             C.why           D.who

3. A.so             B.somehow           C.still         D.anyhow

4. A.  grown         B.become            C.got           D.gone

5.A.able housewife  B.ordinary woman    C.role model    D.truck driver

6. A.brought        B.lived             C.risen         D.raised

7. A.moved          B.interested        C.struck        D.encouraged

8. A have an influence                    B.make a difference  C.set an example   D.make a decision

9. A.low            B.high              C.cheap         D.expensive

10.A.which          B.that              C.when          D.where

11.A.well           B.badly             C.worse         D.better

12.A.like           B.besides           C.for           D.except

13.A.take           B.fetch             C.bring         D.lift

14.A.education      B.family            C.background    D.city

15.A.Because        B.For               C.But           D.So

16.A.seizing        B.creating          C.grasping      D.losing

17..A.in case       B.in turn           C.in return     D.in need

18.A.inexperienced  B.experienced       C.expert        D.skilled

19.A.enjoy          B.hate              C.doubt         D.refuse

20.A.fighting       B.forcing           C.challenging   D.amusing

 

 

Sophia Richardson: Both my parents are really important to me. My parents are really more than friends. They’re the people I can open up and talk to. Talking to them is like talking to one of my friends. They’ve been there for me and given me good advice on a lot of my problems.

Stacey Avnes: My Jewish big sister is important to me. Her name is Lauren. We’ve been together for two years. My mom is a single mom and she is very busy. Lauren is someone who helps me deal with all this stuff because she’s someone I can talk to. She’s like a second mom to me and also a best friend. If I have any problem, I can call her and she’ll come and pick me up and we’ll go to a park and talk.

Jean Park: It’s my uncle who is important to me. When I’m with him, I’m grateful(感激的) for the small things—being alive and healthy; having a good family and friends. He’s also very grateful for the small things and gives back to his community(社区).

Melaku Shierfaw: My father is important to me. He came here from a rich family in Africa. But when he came, he didn’t take any money and started fresh. He showed that he could do everything by himself without the help of others and he’s successful. It shows me that I can do anything as long as I try.

Kalin Scott-Wright: My great grandmother is in charge of our whole family. She was born in 1920. I know she went through a lot in her life. She was a very strong woman and she raised my mom and took her in. She had a kind spirit and loved me and my brother. She’ll always be there for me although she’s not alive any longer.

1.We can infer that Sophia             .

A. is always in trouble

B. has few friends

C. gets along well with her parents

D. depends too much on her parents

2.What do we know about Stacey’s big sister?

A. She is very lonely.

B. She is a single mother.

C. She is Stacey’s only friend.

D. She often helps Stacey.

3.What does Jean’s uncle teach her?

A. To be grateful for the small things in life.

B. To be ready to help her community.

C. To treat others like friends.

D. To have a good family.

4. From his father, Melaku has learnt that            .

A. not everyone can be successful

B. money is not important in one’s life

C. one should never ask others for help

D. he can do anything as long as he tries

 

 

第二部分    阅读(共两节,满分50分)

第一节  阅读理解(共20小题,每小题2分,满分40分)

阅读下列四篇短文,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。

An eight-year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation could save him now and there was no one to lend them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle can save him now,” the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her money from its hiding place and counted it carefully.

She hurried to a drugstore with the money in her hand.

“And what do you want?” asked the salesman. “It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really sick and I want to buy a miracle.” “Pardon?” said the salesman.

“My brother Andrew has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?” “We don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile.

“Listen, if it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs.”

A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of a miracle does your brother need?”

“I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of tears. “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”

“How much do you have?” asked the man. “$ 1.11, but I can try and get some more,” she answered.

“Well, what luck,” smiled the man. “$ 1.11, the price of a miracle for little brothers.”

He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”

That well-dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, a famous doctor. The operation was successful and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.

How much did the miracle cost?

26.What was the trouble in the little girl’s family?

A.Her brother was seriously ill.                           B.They had no money.

C.Nothing could save her brother.                           D.Both A and B.

27.In the eye of the little girl, a miracle might be        .

A.something interesting                                            B.something beautiful

C.some wonderful medicine                                          D.some good food

28.The little girl said again and again “...I can try and get some more.” That shows      .

A.she had still kept some money

B.she hoped not to be refused

C.There was no need to worry about money

D.she thought money was easy to get

29.What made the miracle happen?

A.The girl’s love for her brother.                           B.The girl’s money.

C.The medicine from the drugstore.                       D.Nobody can tell.

30.From the passage we can infer(推断) that        .

A.the doctor didn’t ask for any pay

B.a miracle is sure to happen if you keep on

C.the little girl is lovely but not so clever

D.the doctor had great sympathy for the girl’s little brother

 

 

Our “Mommy and Me” time began two years ago. My next-door neighbor and fellow mother, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of age 6 and under ride their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children out alone,” said Christie.

Then we worked out a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I’ll watch her other three. And when she watches two of mine, I’ll take someone out.

The children were extremely quick to accept the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie’s daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of questions. McKenzie was smiling broadly. Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She’s like a different child when there’s no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn’t have to make an effort to gain attention.

Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also discovered something different in each of my children during our alone times. For example, I am always surprised when my daughter, who is seldom close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering(口吃的)son, Tom, doesn’t stutter once during our activities since he doesn’t have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who’s always a follower when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.

The “Mommy and Me” time allows us to be simply alone and away with each child ---talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest gain. Every child deserves(应得到)to be an only child at least once in a while.

1.What is the text mainly about?

   A. The experience of the only child being with mother.

   B. The advantage of spending time with one child at a time.

   C. The happy life of two families.

   D. The basic needs of children.

2.Right after McKenzie came back, the other children were _____________.

   A. happy        B. curious        C. regretful        D. friendly

3.What is one of the changes the author finds in her children?

   A. The daughter acts like a leader.         B. Sam holds her hand more often.

   C. The boys become better followers.      D. Tom has less difficulty in speaking.

4.The author seems to believe that ___________.

   A. having brothers and sisters is fun

   B. it’s tiring to look after three children

   C. every child needs parents’ full attention

   D. parents should watch others’ children   

 

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