CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) April 24, 2006—Three explosions shook the Egyptian Sinai resort of Dahab on Monday, killing 23 people and wounding dozens of others, rescue and security officials said.

Witnesses said smoke billowed^① up from the town’s tourist bazaar, and residents said they saw body parts and debris^② on the street after an explosion at a restaurant.

People in the small beach and diving resort, which is popular with backpackers, described scenes of carnage^③ and chaos^④.

A cafe worker who was about 200 meters (yards) from the scene said: “We saw many dead people. People were screaming. People were being taken to hospital. Egyptians went to give blood. There were body parts. There’s police everywhere.”

“There are ambulances and cars taking people to hospital,” said another resident, who also did not want to be named.

The explosions took place at the Nelson Restaurant, the Aladdin Cafeteria and the Ghazala Supermarket, the Interior Ministry said.

The explosions took place in quick succession at about 7.15 p.m. (1715 GMT). “There is smoke coming from the area and there are people running everywhere,” said one witness, who heard the blasts.

An official with the local ambulance service said many of the dead appeared to be foreigners.

Israeli divers often stay in the resort but with the Passover holiday over it is unlikely many were there. The Israeli ambassador in Cairo and Israeli authorities said they did not know of any Israeli casualties^⑤.

One visitor said police were stopping cars and buses leaving the resort and had imposed restrictions on movements in and out of backpacker camps in the area.

It was the third set of three explosions on the eastern coast of the Sinai peninsula since October 2004, when a group attacked the Hilton hotel in the border resort of Taba and two other resorts on the northeast coast, killing 34 people.

Notes:

① billow  v.  翻腾

② debris  n.  残骸

③ carnage  n.  残杀，流血

④ chaos  n.  混乱

⑤ casualty  n. （人员）伤亡

What’s the result of the explosions in Dahab?

        A. 34 people were killed.

        B. There were many Israeli casualties.

        C. 23 people were killed and dozens of others were injured.

        D. Many houses were burned to the ground.

How many places did the explosions take place in?

        A. Two      B. Three      C. Six      D. Eight

What does the underlined word “resort” mean?

        A. popular holiday centre      B. hotel or guest-house for holidaymakers

        C. visiting some place         D. Making use of something for help

Which of the following statements is right?

        A. Many of the dead appeared to be residents.

        B. The first set of three explosions took place in October 2004.

        C. Police couldn’t know what to do.

        D. Israeli divers stayed in the resort with the Passover holiday over.

CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) April 24, 2006—Three explosions shook the Egyptian Sinai resort of Dahab on Monday, killing 23 people and wounding dozens of others, rescue and security officials said.
Witnesses said smoke billowed^①up from the town’s tourist bazaar, and residents said they saw body parts and debris^②on the street after an explosion at a restaurant.
People in the small beach and diving resort, which is popular with backpackers, described scenes of carnage^③and chaos^④.
A cafe worker who was about 200 meters (yards) from the scene said: “We saw many dead people. People were screaming. People were being taken to hospital. Egyptians went to give blood. There were body parts. There’s police everywhere.”
“There are ambulances and cars taking people to hospital,” said another resident, who also did not want to be named.
The explosions took place at the Nelson Restaurant, the Aladdin Cafeteria and the Ghazala Supermarket, the Interior Ministry said.
The explosions took place in quick succession at about 7.15 p.m. (1715 GMT). “There is smoke coming from the area and there are people running everywhere,” said one witness, who heard the blasts.
An official with the local ambulance service said many of the dead appeared to be foreigners.
Israeli divers often stay in the resort but with the Passover holiday over it is unlikely many were there. The Israeli ambassador in Cairo and Israeli authorities said they did not know of any Israeli casualties^⑤.
One visitor said police were stopping cars and buses leaving the resort and had imposed restrictions on movements in and out of backpacker camps in the area.
It was the third set of three explosions on the eastern coast of the Sinai peninsula since October 2004, when a group attacked the Hilton hotel in the border resort of Taba and two other resorts on the northeast coast, killing 34 people.
Notes:
① billow  v. 翻腾
② debris  n. 残骸
③ carnage  n. 残杀，流血
④ chaos  n. 混乱
⑤ casualty  n. （人员）伤亡

1. 1.

   What’s the result of the explosions in Dahab?

   1. A.
      34 people were killed.
   2. B.
      There were many Israeli casualties.
   3. C.
      23 people were killed and dozens of others were injured.
   4. D.
      Many houses were burned to the ground.
2. 2.

   How many places did the explosions take place in?

   1. A.
      Two
   2. B.
      Three
   3. C.
      Six
   4. D.
      Eight
3. 3.

   What does the underlined word “resort” mean?

   1. A.
      popular holiday centre
   2. B.
      hotel or guest-house for holidaymakers
   3. C.
      visiting some place
   4. D.
      Making use of something for help
4. 4.

   Which of the following statements is right?

   1. A.
      Many of the dead appeared to be residents.
   2. B.
      The first set of three explosions took place in October 2004.
   3. C.
      Police couldn’t know what to do.
   4. D.
      Israeli divers stayed in the resort with the Passover holiday over.

Time magazine named Russian President Vladimir Putin its  "Person of the Year" for 2007 on Wednesday, saying he had returned his country from chaos（混乱）to "the table of world power" though at a cost of democratic principles.

He doesn't care about civil liberties; he doesn't care about free speech; he cares about stability. But Putin, 55, is enormously popular in Russia, presiding over a resurgent economy based on income from oil and natural gas. On the other hand, stability is what Russia needed and that's why Russians adore（爱戴）him.

Time magazine said on its Web site that Putin, the son of a factory worker had led Russia with persistence, a sharp vision and a sense that he showed the spirit of "Mother Russia".

The selection came days after Putin announced a plan to hold onto power after his term ends next year. Putin said on Monday that if his close ally(盟友），Dmitry Medvedev, won the presidency, he would serve as Medvedev’s prime minister. "Putin has put his country back on the map.  And he intends to redraw it himself,"Time said. "He will continue to lead his country as its prime minister and attempt to transform it into a new kind of nation, beholden to neither East nor West."

Time said the person of the year distinction, which it has awarded since 1927, is not an endorsement（支持）or a popularity prize but a recognition of the individuals and forces that shape the world. "At significant cost of, the principles and ideas that free nations prize, (Putin) has performed an extraordinary feat of leadership in placing stability on a nation that has rarely known it and brought Russia back to the table of world power. For that reason, Vladimir Putin is Time's 2007 Person of the Year," the magazine said.

Time had earlier selected four other Kremlin leaders for the distinction:  Stalin, who was chosen twice, Nikita Khrushchev, Yuri Andropov and Mikhail Gorbachev.

What does the underlined word "feat" in Para 5 probably mean?

A. Style.           B. Level.          C. Standard.           D. Achievement.

What's the major reason why Putin becomes popular in Russia?

A. His successful economy policy

B. His outstanding ability of politics

C. His great contributions to Russian economy and social stability.

D. His wisdom of changing the world.

What may be the best title of the passage?

A. Putin－Time magazine’s person of the year 2007

B. Putin－a world power leader

C. Putin－a beloved Russian president

D. Putin－an honorable Russian president

What can we inter from the passage?

A. Russia, including the former Soviet Union, has been one of the major countries named person of the Year so far.

B. Only an individual can be named Person of the Year nowadays.

C. Putin played an important role in Russian social and economic troubles.

D. Medvedev will certainly be elected Russian President on March 3.

Time magazine named Russian President Vladimir Putin its  "Person of the Year" for 2007 on Wednesday, saying he had returned his country from chaos（混乱）to "the table of world power" though at a cost of democratic principles.

He doesn't care about civil liberties; he doesn't care about free speech; he cares about stability. But Putin, 55, is enormously popular in Russia, presiding over a resurgent economy based on income from oil and natural gas. On the other hand, stability is what Russia needed and that's why Russians adore（爱戴）him.

Time magazine said on its Web site that Putin, the son of a factory worker had led Russia with persistence, a sharp vision and a sense that he showed the spirit of "Mother Russia".

The selection came days after Putin announced a plan to hold onto power after his term ends next year. Putin said on Monday that if his close ally(盟友），Dmitry Medvedev, won the presidency, he would serve as Medvedev’s prime minister. "Putin has put his country back on the map.  And he intends to redraw it himself,"Time said. "He will continue to lead his country as its prime minister and attempt to transform it into a new kind of nation, beholden to neither East nor West."

Time said the person of the year distinction, which it has awarded since 1927, is not an endorsement（支持）or a popularity prize but a recognition of the individuals and forces that shape the world. "At significant cost of, the principles and ideas that free nations prize, (Putin) has performed an extraordinary feat of leadership in placing stability on a nation that has rarely known it and brought Russia back to the table of world power. For that reason, Vladimir Putin is Time's 2007 Person of the Year," the magazine said.

Time had earlier selected four other Kremlin leaders for the distinction:  Stalin, who was chosen twice, Nikita Khrushchev, Yuri Andropov and Mikhail Gorbachev.

1.What does the underlined word "feat" in Para 5 probably mean?

2.What's the major reason why Putin becomes popular in Russia?

3.What may be the best title of the passage?

4.What can we inter from the passage?

Time magazine named Russian President Vladimir Putin its  "Person of the Year" for 2007 on Wednesday, saying he had returned his country from chaos（混乱）to "the table of world power" though at a cost of democratic principles.
He doesn't care about civil liberties; he doesn't care about free speech; he cares about stability. But Putin, 55, is enormously popular in Russia, presiding over a resurgent economy based on income from oil and natural gas. On the other hand, stability is what Russia needed and that's why Russians adore（爱戴）him.
Time magazine said on its Web site that Putin, the son of a factory worker had led Russia with persistence, a sharp vision and a sense that he showed the spirit of "Mother Russia".
The selection came days after Putin announced a plan to hold onto power after his term ends next year. Putin said on Monday that if his close ally(盟友），Dmitry Medvedev, won the presidency, he would serve as Medvedev’s prime minister. "Putin has put his country back on the map.  And he intends to redraw it himself,"Time said. "He will continue to lead his country as its prime minister and attempt to transform it into a new kind of nation, beholden to neither East nor West."
Time said the person of the year distinction, which it has awarded since 1927, is not an endorsement（支持）or a popularity prize but a recognition of the individuals and forces that shape the world. "At significant cost of, the principles and ideas that free nations prize, (Putin) has performed an extraordinary feat of leadership in placing stability on a nation that has rarely known it and brought Russia back to the table of world power. For that reason, Vladimir Putin is Time's 2007 Person of the Year," the magazine said.
Time had earlier selected four other Kremlin leaders for the distinction:  Stalin, who was chosen twice, Nikita Khrushchev, Yuri Andropov and Mikhail Gorbachev.
【小题1】What does the underlined word "feat" in Para 5 probably mean?