An Englishman named PhilShaw invented extreme ironing in 1997 because he was bored doing ironing at home.

　 Extreme ironing is a special kind of outdoor sport. It combines (使结合) danger and excitement with practical ironing.

　 Who does extreme ironing? People all over the world who like danger do it. There are about l,000 people around the world who do extreme ironing. There are extreme ironing clubs and groups in Britain, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand and the United States. You don't have to have any special qualifications (资格证明)to do it. In fact, anyone can do it. However, it is better to start ironing in your back yard before you start to iron on top of a mountain.

　 There are, of course, some rules in extreme ironing. The ironing must be outdoor. You must take an iron, an ironing board, and something that you actually iron to get the wrinkles out. Outdoors includes faraway and unusual places, such as on top of a mountain, while skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, or under water. There are no limits. The more unusual the better. However, you should plan carefully because weather conditions can suddenly change on mountains, for example. You should not do extreme ironing on your own.

　 What kind of things should you have? You must have a real iron. Travel irons are acceptable. You must not use plastic or toy irons. The clothes you iron must be at least the size of a hand towel. It shouldn't be just a handkerchief. The board doesn't have to be fullsize board, but that is preferred. It must be one metre long and thirty centimeters wide and have legs. You must also have proof of ironing that is either a photo or a video, and it should show a recognizable landmark. Be aware that people have already ironed near the top of Everest, the highest mountain in the world, and in the Blue Hole in Egypt, one of the most dangerous places to dive. However, there are still many records to break. Iron on!

53. Where did Phil Shaw usually do ironing before 1997?

　 A. At home.　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. On top of a mountain.

　 C. In faraway places.　 　　　　　 D. In ironing clubs and groups.

54. Which is the best advice for beginners to do extreme ironing?

　 A. Doing extreme ironing alone.

　 B. Beginning ironing in their back yards.

　 C. Starting ironing on top of a mountain.

D. Joining extreme ironing clubs or groups first.

55. What must you do in extreme ironing?

　 A. Iron outdoor.　 　　　　　　　　　 B. Iron in good weather.

　 C. Dive in the Blue Hole.　 　　　 D. Ski near a mountain.

56. How do extreme ironers feel when they do the sport?

　 A. They feel bored with extreme ironing.

　 B. They feel very frightened near the top of Everest.

　 C. They feel excited although it is dangerous.

　 D. They feel lonely in the places far away from their homes.

Sophia Wu, 25, is a young Chinese woman who does business with her family in Santiago, Chile (智利). On February 27, she experienced a night that she will never forget.

　　"I was asleep and was woken up by powerful shaking at around 3:30 in the morning. My whole room was moving and I couldn't stand still. I wanted to run downstairs and go outside, but suddenly the wall got broken and the lights in the room went out. The room became so shaky that I couldn't move at all."

　　That night an 8.8-magnitude (震级) earthquake hit Chile. Buildings and bridges fell down. Electricity (电) and water services shut down. The Chilean Red Cross reported that about 500,000 homes were destroyed and more than 800 people died.

　　The earthquake has been the fifth strongest since 1900. More than 90 aftershocks (余震) followed the earthquake. A tsunami (海啸) was set off in the Pacific Ocean by the earthquake.

　　Scientists say that there are about 500,000 earthquakes in the world each year. Of these, only 20% are felt, and 100 of them cause damage.

　　So far, scientists haven't found a way to predict earthquakes. But you can learn to protect yourself during an earthquake. The most important thing to remember is to drop, cover and hold on. So remember to drop to the floor, get under something for cover and hold onto something strong during the shaking.

根据短文内容，选择最佳选项。（10分）

1. What happened to Sophia Wu on February 27?

2. Which is the correct order (顺序)?

a. Wu got up and found her whole room was moving.

b. Wu wanted to run downstairs and go out.

c. The wall got broken and the lights went out.

d. Wu was woken up by shaking.

3. Which is TRUE about the Chile Earthquake？

4. From the passage, we know that about 　　　 of the earthquakes cause damage every year.

5. How should we protect ourselves during an earthquake?

John is an artist(艺术家) who does not have much money, but he is a very kind man. One day on his way home, he gave his last coins to a beggar(乞丐). When he saw another one, he forgot that he did not have any money. He asked the man to have lunch with him, and the beggar accepted(接受，同意), so they went into a small restaurant and had a good meal.

　　After dinner, John found he had no money at all. The beggar had to pay the bill. The artist was so sorry about this, so he said to the beggar, “Come home with me in a taxi , my friend , and I will give you the money for lunch.”

　　“Oh, no!” the beggar answered quickly. “I had to pay for your lunch, but I’m not going to pay for you again!”

1.The artist in this story was ______________

A. a cheat（骗子）  B. a rich man  C. a kind man

2.On his way home, John forgot ____________.

A. to bring money with him

B. to buy the ticket

C. to have lunch

3.After the meal, __________________ paid the bill .

A. the artist                   B. the beggar          C. no one

4.Why did the artist ask the beggar to take the taxi home with him ?

A. Because he wanted the beggar to pay for the taxi.

B. Because he could give money back to the beggar..

C. Because he could make friends with the beggar

5.At the end of the story, the beggar __________.

A. would make friends with the artist

B. was thankful to the artist

C. regretted(后悔) having lunch with the artist.