The heat was intense as we moved down the long corridor. Not only was it a difficult blaze, but the July heat made things even worse as we struggled to get the best of the flames. As we finally made the turn into the apartment where the fire had started, the words of the young mother outside screamed in my brain, ‘Please help! My baby is in there!’

We moved into the bedroom and I started looking in the usual spots where a child might seek refuge: under the bed, in the corners. As I groped my way through the thick smoke, I suddenly fell forward, tripping over something on the floor. It was the child. Ripping off my mask to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, I grabbed the child and raced for the stairs. When we reached the waiting Rescue Squad members, I collapsed in a heap in the gutter. The ambulance sped off into the night, its siren wailing. Later that evening, we received word that the child had died in the hospital’s emergency room. Another small life lost in the city.

Why do little children such as that one have to pay the price for the neglect of others? During my career as a fire fighter, I have seen this happen many times. You would think that we would become hard and callous, but we don’t. We mourn each person who dies. What bothers me is that many senseless tragedies could have been prevented. An overwhelming number of deaths in fires can be prevented by just one thing – a smoke detector. It is estimated that fewer than 50 percent of all dwellings in the United States are protected by smoke detectors. Why are so many people ignorant about the need for smoke detectors? Smoke detectors save lives. They are easy to install. Their cost is reasonable, and they offer immediate protection.

People must persuade their communities to provide fire education for everyone. The money spent on fire education reaps a reward that cannot be measured. If you do not think so, then consider your reactions if the child I carried out of that flaming apartment had been a member of your own family. You would probably then be willing to do anything at all to undo that tragedy.

1.The author’s main purpose in the passage is to __________.

A. advertise a new brand of smoke detector.

B. persuade readers to become fire fighters.

C. plead for donations from the public.

D. encourage fire safety measures.

2.In the Section About carrying the child from the building, the author is describing

_________.

A. a scene the author saw in a movie

B. a tragedy in a fire fighter’s family

C. a personal experience

D. a training course in fire education

3.According to this reading, which of the following opinions will the author most

agree with?

A. People have received enough fire education provided by their communities.

B. Many deaths in Fires could have been prevented.

C. The fires in apartments are always caused by smoking.

D. Fire Fighters don’t have sympathy for those who die in fires.

4.The author blames the lack of smoke detectors in households on the reason that________.

A. smoke detectors are too expensive

B. smoke detectors often cannot work properly

C. smoke detectors are difficult to install

D. people are ignorant about the need for smoke detectors.

 

Here is an astonishing and significant fact: Mental work alone can’t make us tire. It sounds absurd. But a years ago, scientists tried to find out how long the human brain could labor without reaching a stage of fatigue (疲劳). To the amazement of these scientists, they discovered that blood passing through the brain, when it is active, shows no fatigue at all! If we took a drop of blood from a day laborer, we would find it full of fatigue toxins(毒素) and fatigue products. But if we took blood from the brain of an Albert Einstein, it would show no fatigue toxins at the end of the day.

So far as the brain is concerned, it can work as well and swiftly at the end of eight or even twelve hours of effort as at the beginning. The brain is totally tireless. So what makes us tired?

Some scientists declare that most of our fatigue comes from our mental and emotional(情绪的) attitudes. One of England’s most outstanding scientists, J.A. Hadfield, says, “The greater part of the fatigue from which we suffer is of mental origin. In fact, fatigue of purely physical origin is rare.” Dr. Brill, a famous American scientist, goes even further. He declares, “One hundred percent of the fatigue of sitting worker in good health is due to emotional problems.”

What kinds of emotions make sitting workers tired? Joy? Satisfaction? No! A feeling of being bored, anger, anxiety, tenseness, worry, a feeling of not being appreciated---those are the emotions that tire sitting workers. Hard work by itself seldom causes fatigue. We get tired because our emotions produce nervousness in the body.

1.What surprised the scientists a few years ago?

A. Fatigue toxins could hardly be found in a laborer’s blood.

B. Albert Einstein didn’t feel worn after a day’s work.

C. The brain could work for many hours without fatigue.

D. A mental worker’s blood was filled with fatigue toxins.

2.According to the author, which of the following can make sitting workers tired?

A. Challenging mental work. B. Unpleasant emotions.

C. Endless tasks. D. Physical labor.

3.What’s the author’s attitude towards the scientists’ idea?

A. He agrees with them. B. He doubts them.

C. He argues against them. D. He hesitates to accept them.

4.We can infer from the passage that in order to stay energetic, sitting workers need to ___________.

A. have some good food. B. enjoy their work

C. exercise regularly D. discover fatigue toxins

 

From the outer of New York to the heart of Singapore, nature is everywhere you’re not looking in some of Earth’s most crowded big cities. Outdoor adventure is often just a few stops on the train—or a short drive-away from the annoying crowds. Here are a few favorites to get you going:

Mount Hollywood Trail(林间小道, 乡间小路), Los Angeles

It’s not a skyscraper or a Ferris wheel, and there’s no expensive restaurant up top. But if you want an absolutely unforgettable, no-admission-charged, 360-degree view of the entire Los Angeles region, it’s yours. All you have to do is to walk a little. One of the preferred exercise routes, the Mount Hollywood Trail, is easily accessed from the parking lot of the famous Griffith Observatory; you see what you get at the end of this steep 1. 5-mile trail, which winds its way through the Griffith Park winds up to the mountain’s 1, 640-foot peak.

Bronx River, New York

It may not be on your Top 10 list of things to do when you finally get to the Big Apple, but exploring the almost-secret river that flows through one of New York’s most mysterious boroughs(自治市)is an unforgettable experience. The Bronx River Alliance, a non-profit group that has worked tirelessly to bring the much-abused river back to life, operates cycling and canoeing trips along the river, from the rugged Hunts Point section down near the harbor on up through the borough.

Southern Islands, Singapore

Believe it or not, tightly packed Singapore does have plenty of open space left. There are actual trails right in the middle of everything, if you know where to look. But to really get away from it all, the Southern Islands, a small group of little green dots just off the city state’s southern shoreline, are just the thing.

Lee Valley, London

This East London river valley changed last summer, when anyone near a television got an eyeful of Olympic Park, built directly in the middle of the valley. Inside the park, beautifully landscaped sections quickly became a favorite relaxation spot for games goers. At present, you’ll find miles of walking paths worth exploring. Start at the Waltham Cross train and follow the signposted walking route southbound, guiding you past important historic industrial areas, through interesting city neighborhoods, past the western side of Olympic Park and on to the Thames.

1.If someone wants to enjoy an unforgettable experience for free, he can go to .

A. Mount Hollywood Trail and Bronx River

B. Mount Hollywood Trail and Southern Islands

C. Lee Valley and Southern Islands

D. Bronx River and Lee Valley

2.The writer of the passage wants to .

A. inform the readers that nature exists in crowded big cities

B. appeal to more people to outdoor adventure

C. recommend several historical spots to readers

D. present various approach to outdoor adventure

3.We know from the passage .

A. it’s difficult to find a proper trail in packed Singapore

B. the Thames is not far away from the East London river valley

C. The Bronx River Alliance has succeeded in running the river

D. you may have trouble reaching the Mount Hollywood Trail

 

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