From the health point of view we are living in an amazing age. We are free from many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once deadly illnesses can now be cured by modern medicine. It is almost certain that one day medicines will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased greatly. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the unbelievable killing of men, women and children on the roads. Man vs the motor-car! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing.

    Thousands of people all over the world are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.

    It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel(方向盘), his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They say, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-year-olds and completely selfish. Their hidden angers and disappointments seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.

    The surprising thing is that society smiles so gently on the motorist and seems to forgive his behavior. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is ruined by road networks; and the deaths become nothing more than a number every year, to be easily forgotten.

    It is high time a world rule was created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are unbelievable lenient(宽容的) and even the strictest are not strict enough. A rule which was universally accepted could only have an obviously beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through strict tests for safety each year. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can damage a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws(where they exist) should be made much stricter. Speed limits should be required on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for car factories, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stress power and performance should be banned. These measures may not sound good enough. But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the number of deaths. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.

1.What is the main idea of this passage?

  A. Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists.

  B. Thousands of people all over the world are killed each year.

  C. The laws of some countries about driving are too lenient.

  D. More strict traffic laws can prevent accidents.

2.What does the author think of society toward motorists?

  A. Society laughs at the motorists.

  B. Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns.

  C. Victims of accidents are nothing.

   D. Society forgives their rude driving.

3.What does the author mean by saying “his car becomes the extension of his personality” in

Paragraph 3?

A. Driving can show his hidden qualities.

B. Driving can show the other part of his personality.

C. Driving can bring out his character.

D. Driving can represent his manners.

4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?

  A. Perfect the road network.

 B. More strict driving tests.

  C. Test drivers every three years.

  D. Raise age limit and lay down safety specifications.

5. The author’s attitude towards the traffic situation is ______.

  A. confused        B. discontented       C. appealing       D. doubtful

Passage seven(Stricter Traffic Law can Prevent Accidents)

From the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age. We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men, women and children on the roads. Man versus the motor-car ! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.

It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-years-olds and utterly selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments and jealousies seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.

The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy tragic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic, to be conveniently forgotten.

It is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be mad much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may sound inordinately harsh. But surely nothing should be considered as to severe if tit results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.

1.The main idea of this passage is

A.Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists.

B.Thousands of people the world over are killed each year.

C.The laws of some countries about driving are too lax.

D.Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents.

2.What does the author think of society toward motorists?

A.Society smiles on the motorists.

B.Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns.

C.Victims of accidents are nothing.

D.Society condones their rude driving.

3.Why does the author say:’ his car becomes the extension of his personality?’

A.Driving can show his real self.

B.Driving can show the other part of his personality.

C.Driving can bring out his character.

D.His car embodies his temper.

4.Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?

A.Build more highways.

B.Stricter driving tests.

C.Test drivers every three years.

D.raise age limit and lay down safety specifications.

5.The attitude of the author is

A.ironical        B.critical     C.appealing      D.militant

British and American scientists are raising genetically modified(转基因的) pigs in the hope of providing organs for transplant(移植) to humans, the project leader wrote in a newspaper Sunday.
Scientists in London and California have begun conducting the genetic experiments to find a solution to record–long waiting lists for organ transplants, Robert Winston said in an opinion piece written for Britain's Sunday Times.
In Britain alone, around 8,000 patients are waiting for a transplant.
"People needing a new heart or liver are waiting for someone else to die – usually a violent death in a traffic accident," Winston wrote in the newspaper. He said his team was "trying to modify pigs so their organs might save the lives of humans."
The scientists are introducing human genes into the animals to reduce the chances of the organs being rejected by patients, as has been common in previous attempts to use animal tissues, said Winston, who heads the Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology at London's Hammersmith Hospital.
Working with Dr. Carol Redhead of the California Institute of Technology, Winston's team has injected human genes directly into male piglets(猪仔), adding them to the animal's sperm(精子).
He said that pigs involved in experiments had successfully produced transgenic sperm, but acknowledged that British and European laws had prevented the team from using the pigs to mate.
The Sunday Times newspaper reported that the experiments would be moved to the United States following difficulties with funding and regulations in Britain. It said the pigs would be bred in Missouri.
"Our U.S. friends will benefit from our technology and the income we might have produced for Britain will be lost," Winston wrote.
Some scientists have previously blamed the idea of using animal organs for human transplant, saying the technique risks spreading animal viruses to humans. Winston said his research project is attempting to breed virus-free pigs.
49. Scientists are introducing human genes into the animals to ____________.

From the health point of view we are living in an amazing age．We are free from many of the most dangerous diseases．A large number of once deadly illnesses can now be cured by modem medicine．It is almost certain that one day medicines will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases, The expectation of life has increased greatly．But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the unbelievable killing of men, women and children on the roads．Man vs the motor-cart,It is a never-ending battle which man is losing．Thousands of people over the world are killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen．
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel （方向盘）, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man's very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become crazy when they are behind a steering-wheel .They are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-year-olds and completely selfish．All their hidden angers and disappointments seem to be brought to die surface by the act of driving．
The surprising thing is that society smiles so gently on the motorist and seems to forgive his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience.Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable(不宜居住的） because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is ruined by road networks; and the deaths become nothing more than a number every year, to be easily forgotten．
It is high time that a world rule was created to reduce this senseless waste of human life．With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are unbelievably lax（不严格）and even the strictest are not strict enough．A rule which was universally accepted could only have an obviously beneficial effect on the accident rate．Here are a few examples of some of the things that might be done．The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through strict tests for safety each year．Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can damage a person's driving ability．Present drinking and driving laws should be revised much stricter．Speed limits should be required on all roads．Governments should lay down safety directions for car factories, as has been done in the USA．All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned．These measures may not sound good enough．But surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the number of deaths．After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars．
【小题1】What is the main idea of this passage?

Passage seven(Stricter Traffic Law can Prevent Accidents)

  From the health point of view we are living in a marvelous age. We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men, women and children on the roads. Man versus the motor-car ! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly killed each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen.

  It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personality. There is no doubt that the motor-car often brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering-wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-years-olds and utterly selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments and jealousies seem to be brought to the surface by the act of driving.

  The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behaviour. Everything is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy tragic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than a statistic, to be conveniently forgotten.

  It is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste of human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate. Here are a few examples of some the things that might be done. The driving test should be standardized and made far more difficult than it is; all the drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be mad much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may sound inordinately harsh. But surely nothing should be considered as to severe if tit results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motor-cars.

1.The main idea of this passage is

A.Traffic accidents are mainly caused by motorists.

B.Thousands of people the world over are killed each year.

C.The laws of some countries about driving are too lax.

D.Only stricter traffic laws can prevent accidents.

2.What does the author think of society toward motorists?

A.Society smiles on the motorists.

B.Huge car parks are built in the cities and towns.

C.Victims of accidents are nothing.

D.Society condones their rude driving.

3.Why does the author say:’ his car becomes the extension of his personality?’

A.Driving can show his real self.

B.Driving can show the other part of his personality.

C.Driving can bring out his character.

D.His car embodies his temper.

4.Which of the followings is NOT mentioned as a way against traffic accidents?

A.Build more highways.

B.Stricter driving tests.

C.Test drivers every three years.

D.raise age limit and lay down safety specifications.

5.The attitude of the author is

A.ironical        B.critical     C.appealing      D.militant