阅读理解

  A boat constructed from thousands of plastic bottles sailed into Sydney Harbor on Monday, completing a 4-month trans-Pacific voyage to show the benefits of recycling.

  The 60-foot“Plastiki”, made from 12,500 bottles, was greeted by hundreds of supporters as it ended its 15,000-kilometer journey.

  “It has been a great adventure,”said the leader of the journey David de Rothschild, who comes from a well-known British banking family.“We're so excited to be here.”

  The“Plastiki”-named after the 1947 Kon-Tiki raft(筏)sailed across the Pacific by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl-set off from San Francisco in March.

  The boat, carrying six crew members(船员), travelled through the north Pacific and made stops in the Line Islands, Western Samoa and New Caledonia before leaving for Australia.

  The“Plastiki”relied on renewable energy and got its power from sunlight and wind.They were able to keep in touch with supporters via satellite through a website, blogs, and use of social-networking-sites such as Twitter.

  Captain Jo Royle said sailing the“Plastiki”was“completely different”to any other boat they had ever sailed, but“she's got here without ever a doubt in any of our minds”.

  De Rothschild said the idea for the journey came to him after he read a United Nations report in 2006 that said pollution-and particularly plastic waste-was seriously threatening the world's oceans.

  And while he said the influence of the voyage had gone beyond his expectations, they also faced serious problems during the voyage.

  “Here you are in the middle of nowhere seeing these plastic items.They photo-degrade(光降解), get smaller and smaller, until they end up getting swallowed by fish which are then eaten by people,”he said.

  The United Nations Environment Program says there is a large amount of trash in every square kilometer of the world's oceans, and another 6.4 million tons of plastic is thrown into seas each year.

  The“Plastiki”will be on display at Sydney's Maritime Museum for the next month.

(1)

According to the passage, the voyage started from ________.

[  ]

A.

the Line Islands

B.

San Francisco

C.

Sydney

D.

New Caledonia

(2)

Which of the following is TRUE about the“Plastiki”?

[  ]

A.

It carried a crew of six and a passenger.

B.

It was named after an Australian explorer.

C.

It travelled across the north Atlantic.

D.

It was powered by renewable energy.

(3)

By saying“she's got here without ever a doubt in any of our minds”, Royle meant that ________.

[  ]

A.

the boat had always been in top condition

B.

he sometimes doubted the condition of the boat

C.

the crew had always been confident about the journey

D.

some of the sailors had been doubtful about the journey

(4)

What would be the best title for the passage?'

[  ]

A.

Plastic items end up getting swallowed by fish

B.

Floating plastic threatening the world's oceans

C.

“Plastiki”bottle ship to be on display in Sydney

D.

Boat made from plastic bottles completes Pacific Voyage

Kieron Williamson, a seven-year-old British boy, is being recognized as an art genius after selling 16 paintings for 18, 000 pounds in just 14 minutes. This boy has artistic skills that would be the envy of any serious painter and drawn comparisons to Pablo Picasso, a child prodigy(神童)who became one of the most recognized artists of the 20th century.

 It all began on a family holiday to Cornwall on the southwest English coast when Kieron was five. Inspired by the view, he asked his parents for his first sketch-pad (速写纸). From that moment on, he became deeply interested. While supportive, Kieron’s parents are careful not to push their son. He only paints when and what he wants.

 He has a waiting list of hundreds and requests for his works have been flooding in. His father said a sale of Kieron’s works held in November even drew a buyer from Japan. “We had people driving down that night, there were people on the door waiting to come in the morning who had been standing outside, the phones were going mad as soon as the door opened at nine o’clock and within 14 minutes all the 16 pictures had gone, ” he said.

All this talent, money and high praise could so easily go to a young boy’s head, but Kieron said his friends keep him grounded. “Some of them want to be as good as me and some of them think. . . Umn, ‘you are not too special’, ” he said.

    Kieron’s favourite painter is British artist Edward Seago and he has spent some of his earnings buying a work by his hero. The rest is being invested by his parents until he reaches 25. Kieron’s parents and his younger sister Billi-Jo don’t see him as anything other than a normal seven-year-old boy who likes to tear around the house and who’s mad about football. But for now, with so much still to learn, there’s only one thing he wants to be when he grows up. He said, “I think I’ll definitely be an artist. ”

26. According to Paragraph 1, we can know Kieron Williamson ________.

A. painted 16 paintings in only 14 minutes

B. draws as well as Picasso did

C. is one of the most recognized artists

D. has unusual ability in painting

27. What made Kieron Williamson begin to love painting?

A. His first sketch-pad.

B. His parents’ encouragement.

C. The view at the seaside.

D. His swimming near the coast.

28. In Kieron Williamson’s friends’ opinion, he ________.

A. is famous but a little proud

B. isn’t very special from other children

C. isn’t worth praising at all

D. is hard to get along with

29. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ________.

A. Edward Seago thinks highly of Kieron’s painting

B. Kieron likes doing sports and painting instead of studying

C. Kieron’s family is very poor

D. Kieron wants to be a great painter

30. The passage mainly tells us________.

A. a seven-year-old painting genius

B. how to be a great painter

C. Kieron Williamson may become the second Picasso

D. the painting changed Kieron Williamson’s life greatly

Kieron Williamson, a seven-year-old British boy, is being recognized as an art genius after selling 16 paintings for 18, 000 pounds in just 14 minutes. This boy has artistic skills that would be the envy of any serious painter and drawn comparisons to Pablo Picasso, a child prodigy(神童)who became one of the most recognized artists of the 20th century.

 It all began on a family holiday to Cornwall on the southwest English coast when Kieron was five. Inspired by the view, he asked his parents for his first sketch-pad (速写纸). From that moment on, he became deeply interested. While supportive, Kieron’s parents are careful not to push their son. He only paints when and what he wants.

 He has a waiting list of hundreds and requests for his works have been flooding in. His father said a sale of Kieron’s works held in November even drew a buyer from Japan. “We had people driving down that night, there were people on the door waiting to come in the morning who had been standing outside, the phones were going mad as soon as the door opened at nine o’clock and within 14 minutes all the 16 pictures had gone, ” he said.

All this talent, money and high praise could so easily go to a young boy’s head, but Kieron said his friends keep him grounded. “Some of them want to be as good as me and some of them think. . . Umn, ‘you are not too special’, ” he said.

    Kieron’s favourite painter is British artist Edward Seago and he has spent some of his earnings buying a work by his hero. The rest is being invested by his parents until he reaches 25. Kieron’s parents and his younger sister Billi-Jo don’t see him as anything other than a normal seven-year-old boy who likes to tear around the house and who’s mad about football. But for now, with so much still to learn, there’s only one thing he wants to be when he grows up. He said, “I think I’ll definitely be an artist. ”

26. According to Paragraph 1, we can know Kieron Williamson ________.

A. painted 16 paintings in only 14 minutes

B. draws as well as Picasso did

C. is one of the most recognized artists

D. has unusual ability in painting

27. What made Kieron Williamson begin to love painting?

A. His first sketch-pad.

B. His parents’ encouragement.

C. The view at the seaside.

D. His swimming near the coast.

28. In Kieron Williamson’s friends’ opinion, he ________.

A. is famous but a little proud

B. isn’t very special from other children

C. isn’t worth praising at all

D. is hard to get along with

29. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ________.

A. Edward Seago thinks highly of Kieron’s painting

B. Kieron likes doing sports and painting instead of studying

C. Kieron’s family is very poor

D. Kieron wants to be a great painter

30. The passage mainly tells us________.

A. a seven-year-old painting genius

B. how to be a great painter

C. Kieron Williamson may become the second Picasso

D. the painting changed Kieron Williamson’s life greatly

This year’s World Food Prize will honor two leaders of hunger-fighting groups based  in the United States. The winners are David Beckmann of Bread for the World and Jo Luck of Heifer International. They will share the prize of 250,000 dollars. The World Food Prize usually goes to researchers or top policy officials. This is the first time it will recognize the work of nongovernmental groups.

Heifer International provides donated animals and training to farmers in 50 countries. Jo Luck remains president until next year. Under her leadership, the group’s budget grew from less than 10,000,000 dollars to more than 130,000,000 dollars. Jo Luck, “People pass on their gifts of not just animals but also gifts of training and leadership. We have seen cases where we have been gone 5 and 10 years and we go back and they have developed roads and built schools, and they have other communities receiving the animals and the training. You just give them those resources and that training and opportunity, and you cannot hold them back.” She told the story of a woman from a poor village in Zimbabwe. A family member helped send her to school in the United States with earnings from a donated milk goat. She received a doctoral degree. Jo Luck, “That is what a goat did. That is one example. The animal is only the catalyst(催化剂). That is the beginning of many other things that follow.”

David Beckmann became president of Bread for the World in 1991. He is an economist and a Christian clergyman(牧师). Bread for the World organizes people from religious and non-religious groups to write, call and visit members of Congress(国会). The purpose is to support measures to improve the lives of the poor. David Beckmann points to big increase in American development assistance. He said, “I think that would not have happened without the support of hundreds of thousands of people and churches that are part of Bread for the World and that keep the pressure on their members of Congress.” The prize committee also credited his efforts with helping to increase aid to needy families in the United States.

1.The World Food Prize honors ________.

A. people who fight against hunger

B. researchers or top policy officials

C. people from nongovernmental groups

D. people who have advanced human development

2.Why does Jo Luck receive the prize?

A. Under her leadership, people develop roads and build schools.

B. She has served Heifer International for almost 20 years.

C. Under her leadership, Heifer International helps farmers in 50 countries.

D. She makes the group’s budget grow to more than 130 million.

3.What has David Beckmann done to deserve the prize?

A. He has trained farmers in 50 countries.

B. He has made a great contribution to science.

C. He has led Bread for the World for more than 20 years.

D. He has aimed to support measures to improve the lives of the poor.

 

阅读理解。
     "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
     "It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
     "I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added
little Amy, with an injured sniff.
     "We've got father and mother and each other," said Beth, contentedly.
     The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly: "We haven't got father, and shall not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps
never", but each silently added it, thinking of father far away, where the fighting was.
     Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone: "You know the reason mother
proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for everyone; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure when our men are suffering so in the army. We
can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don't";
and Meg shook her head, and she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.
     "But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the
army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from mother or you, but
I do want to buy UNDINE AND SINTRAM for myself; I've wanted it so long," said Jo, who was a
bookworm.
     "I planned to spend mine on new music," said Beth, with a little sigh.
     "I shall get a nice box of Faber's drawing pencils; I really need them," said Amy, decidedly.
     "Mother didn't say anything about our money, and she won't wish us to give up everything. Let's each
buy what we want, and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard enough to earn it," cried Jo, examining
the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly manner.
     "I know I do-teaching those tiresome children nearly all day when I am longing to enjoy myself at
home," began Meg, in the complaining tone again.
     "You don't have half such a hard time as I do," said Jo. "How would you like to be shut up for hours
with a nervous, fussy old lady, who is never satisfied, and worries you till you're ready to fly out of the
window or cry?"
     "It's naughty to fret; but I do think washing dishes and keeping things tidy is the worst work in the
world. It makes me cross; and my hands get so stiff, I can't practice well at all"; and Beth looked at her
rough hands with a sigh that anyone could hear.
     "I don't believe any of you suffer as I do." cried Amy, "for you don't have to go to school with
impertinent girls, who plague you if you don't know your lessons, and laugh at your dresses, and label
your father if he isn't rich."
     "If you mean libel, I'd say so, and not talk about labels, as if papa was a pickle-bottle," advised Jo,
laughing.
     "I know what I mean, and you needn't be satirical about it. It's proper to use good words, and
improve your vocabulary," returned Amy, with dignity.
     "Don't peck at one another, children. Don't you wish we had the money papa lost when we were
little, Jo? Dear me! How happy and good we'd be, if we had no worries!" said Meg, who could
remember better times.
     "You once said you thought we were a deal happier than the King children, for they were fighting
and fretting all the time, in spite of their money."
     "So I did. I think we are; for, though we do have to work, we make fun for ourselves, and are a pretty
jolly set, as Jo would say." Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle.
     "Don't, Jo; it's so boyish!"
     "That's why I do it."
     "I detest rude, unladylike girls!"
     "I hate affected, niminy-piminy chits!"
     "Birds in their little nests agree" sang Beth, the peacemaker, with such a funny face that both sharp
voices softened to a laugh, and the `pecking' ended for that time.
1. According to the passage, who is the most pessimistic and who the most optimistic?
A. Jo; Amy
B. Meg; Beth
C. Meg; Amy
D. Amy; Beth
2. According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A. Their father died when he was fighting with others.
B. Their father is away at the war, leaving them at home with their mother.
C. The passage is a story about three girls and a boy in a family.
D. The four children in the passage all work and earn their own money.
3. What do they think of their mother's proposal of not having any Christmas gifts?
A. They all agreed to the proposal of not having any Christmas gifts.
B. They all agreed that giving the money to the army was of little help.
C. They all agreed that giving the money to the army was of much help.
D. They all agreed to save the money and buy a gift for their father.
4. By saying "It makes me cross" Beth means she is rather ____.
A. happy
B. excited
C. interested
D. angry
5.  The King children are mentioned to show that ____.
A. The King family is rich while Beth's family is poor.
B. Beth's family is poor and they are unhappy about it.
C. Money can bring much happiness to their family.
D. Money does not necessarily mean happiness.

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