The scientist from the Lockheed Space Company work in Felton, California, with the help of a computer.But the computer is placed in Sunnyside, about 80 kilometers away.What scientists input (输入) is sent by telephone lines to the computer, and after a time, copies of the designs are needed back in Felton as quickly as possible Lockheed people have tried several ways of sending the prints, but the most effective seems to be by pigeon.Are pigeons really used to carry messages in these days? They are, and they send the prints faster and cheaper than any other way.

Human messengers are much more expensive and slower than the pigeons.The road to Felton goes through the mountains, and the driving is not easy.An electronic printout (电子打印输出) system could do the work in Felton, but at a cost of 10 dollars a print.Pigeons carry the designs for about 1 dollar each.

Now Lockheed people have ten pigeon messengers.The pigeons do the work, and they have made Lockheed more famous.You can often read the news about pigeons in the newspapers around the world.

1.The passage is mainly about ___________________.

A. Felton, California

B. the scientists

C. how to work with computers

D. sending prints by pigeon

2.This story is unusual because pigeons ____________________.

A. don’t like carrying things

B. are often expensive to keep

C. seem out of place in the space age

D. aren’t friendly to the scientists

3.Something that’s effective ________________________.

A. usually costs more

B. is something that works

C. is often unhappy

D. is often done by animals

We arranged that Kissinger(基辛格) would fly to Vietnam early in July and then stop in Pakistan on the way back. There he would develop a stomachache that would require him to stay in bed and not be seen by the press. Then, with President Yapha’s help, he would be taken to the airport where a Pakistani jet would fly him over the mountains to China.

Kissinger’s trip was given the name Polo after Marco Polo, another Western traveler who made history by journey in China. Everything went quite smoothly. His slight illness in Islamabad received only small attention from reporters covering him. They accepted the story that he would be kept shut up for at least a few days and began making arrangements for their own activities.

Because of the need for complete secrecy and the lack of any direct communication facilities between Beijing and Washington, I knew that we would have no word from Kissinger while he was in China. Even after he had returned to Pakistan, it would still be important to keep it secret, so before Kissinger left, we agreed on a single code word – Eureka – which he would use if his missions were successful and the presidential trip had been arranged. On July 11, Al Haig, who knew our code work, phoned to say that a cable(电传) from Kissinger had arrived.

“What’s the message?” I asked. “Eureka”. he replied.

1.Kissinger stopped in Pakistan because ___________.

A. he had a stomachache

B. he needed President Yapha’s help in carrying out a secret plan

C. he did not want to be seen by the press

D. he would like to take a Pakistani jet on his way back

2.The reporter in Islamabad believed that ___________.

A. Marco Polo made a trip to China

B. Kissinger would make a journey to China

C. Kissinger was making arrangements for their activities

D. Kissinger was sick

3.Washington would have no word from Kissinger while he was in China, mainly because ___________.

A. the trip must be kept secret

B. president Yapha would not fly together with Kissinger

C. communication between China and Islamabad was impossible

D. Al Haig would phone to the author to tell him about Kissinger’s trip

4.From the passage we can infer that Kissinger’s cable carrying the message “Eureka” must have been sent ______.

A. before he had left Beijing

B. soon after he had returned to Pakistan from China

C. as soon as he had arrived in Washington on July 11

D. before he returned to Pakistan on July 11

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