B

The following are the results of the tests done by “Family and Home Magazine” on some Pocket Tape-Recorders on the market now.

Pearlcorder S702 $64

This simple model at the bottom of the Olympus range scored the most points for its excellent quality of recording. Background noise hardly affects the sound and recording from a pocket is perfectly possible, but it doesn’t turn off automatically.

Tape length: 30minutes per side. Weight: 240g.

Sony M9   $49.95

Small and very good looking, Sony’s latest offering scored most for its appearance. Sounds clear, but there is slight machine noise. The big control buttons are a great improvement on some of the complicated little controls on other tape-recorders. It doesn’t switch off automatically, but a red light shows if the machine is still running.

Tape length: 60minutes per side. Weight: 195g.

Sony M400  $115

Lots of little control buttons that make a noise are difficult to use. Recording is good but machine noise loses points. Tape counter and automatic switch-off when tape has finished recording or rewinding are useful.

Tape length: 60 minutes per side. Weight: 230g.

Imperial OEM MC7  $ 29.95

Cheap and simple compared with the rest, but recording is good as long as there is no background noise. Use only its own-make of cassette. No light to show it is on; no fast-forward button and the record button makes a loud noise.

Tape length: 30 minutes per side. Weight: 285g.

Philips 585  $80

Handsome and simple to use, but recording is very poor at more than the recommended distance of 5 cm-designed for dictation. No recording light.

Tape length: 15 minutes per side. Weight: 220g.

46. The machine that produces the best recording with the least unwanted noise is __.

A. Pearlcorder S 702     B. Sony M9

C. Sony M400          D. Imperial OEM MC7

47. If you want a machine which turns off automatically and weighs very little you should choose _____.

A. Pearlcorder S 702   B. Sony M9  C. Sony M400  D. Philips 585

48. Which of the following allows you to record longest but costs you least?

A. Philips 585   B. Imperial OEM MC7  C. Sony M400   D. Sony M9

B

  The following are the results of the tests done by “Family and Home Magazine” on some Pocket Tape-Recorders on the market now.

  Pearlcorder S702 $64

  This simple model at the bottom of the Olympus range scored the most points for its excellent quality of recording. Background noise hardly affects the sound and recording from a pocket is perfectly possible, but it doesn’t turn off automatically.

  Tape length: 30minutes per side. Weight: 240g.

  Sony M9   $49.95

  Small and very good looking, Sony’s latest offering scored most for its appearance. Sounds clear, but there is slight machine noise. The big control buttons are a great improvement on some of the complicated little controls on other tape-recorders. It doesn’t switch off automatically, but a red light shows if the machine is still running.

  Tape length: 60minutes per side. Weight: 195g.

  Sony M400  $115

  Lots of little control buttons that make a noise are difficult to use. Recording is good but machine noise loses points. Tape counter and automatic switch-off when tape has finished recording or rewinding are useful.

  Tape length: 60 minutes per side. Weight: 230g.

  Imperial OEM MC7  $ 29.95

  Cheap and simple compared with the rest, but recording is good as long as there is no background noise. Use only its own-make of cassette. No light to show it is on; no fast-forward button and the record button makes a loud noise.

  Tape length: 30 minutes per side. Weight: 285g.

  Philips 585  $80

  Handsome and simple to use, but recording is very poor at more than the recommended distance of 5 cm-designed for dictation. No recording light.

  Tape length: 15 minutes per side. Weight: 220g.

46. The machine that produces the best recording with the least unwanted noise is __.

   A. Pearlcorder S 702     B. Sony M9

   C. Sony M400          D. Imperial OEM MC7

47. If you want a machine which turns off automatically and weighs very little you should choose _____.

   A. Pearlcorder S 702   B. Sony M9  C. Sony M400  D. Philips 585

48. Which of the following allows you to record longest but costs you least?

   A. Philips 585    B. Imperial OEM MC7  C. Sony M400    D. Sony M9

In a natural disaster—a hurricane, flood, volcanic eruption, or other catastrophes—minutes and even seconds of warning can make the difference between life and death．Because of this, scientists are working to use the latest technological advances to predict when and where disasters will happen．They are also studying how best to analyze and communicate this information once it is obtained．
On September 29, 1998, Hurricane Georges made landfall in Biloxi, Mississippi, after damaging Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and several islands of the Caribbean badly with torrential rains and winds up to 160 km per hour．Few people lost their lives along the Gulf Coast of the United States, although hundreds died in the Caribbean．
This was a very different outcome from 1900, when a powerful Gulf Coast hurricane made an unexpected direct hit on Galveston, Texas, killing at least 6,000 people．
Vastly improved hurricane warnings explain the different circumstances at either end of the 20th century——residents of Galveston had no advance warning that a storm was approaching, while residents of Biloxi had been warned days in advance, allowing for extensive safety precautions（预防）．
At the same time that people in Biloxi were thankful for the advance warning, some residents of New Orleans, Louisiana were less satisfied．A day before Georges made landfall, forecasters were predicting that the hurricane had a good chance of striking New Orleans．Because much of New Orleans lies below sea level, the city is at risk for flooding．Emergency management officials must begin evacuations（疏散）well before a storm strikes．But evacuation costs money: businesses close, tourists leave, and citizens take precautionary measures．The mayor of New Orleans estimated that his city' s preparations for Georges cost more than 50 million．After Georges missed New Orleans, some residents questioned the value of the hurricane forecasts in the face of such high costs．
The different views on the early warnings for Hurricane Georges show some of the complexities related to predicting disasters．Disaster prediction is a process of providing scientific information to the government officials and other decision makers who must respond to those predictions．
【小题1】What is the purpose of disaster prediction according to the passage?

In a natural disaster—a hurricane, flood, volcanic eruption, or other catastrophes—minutes and even seconds of warning can make the difference between life and death．Because of this, scientists are working to use the latest technological advances to predict when and where disasters will happen．They are also studying how best to analyze and communicate this information once it is obtained．

On September 29, 1998, Hurricane Georges made landfall in Biloxi, Mississippi, after damaging Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and several islands of the Caribbean badly with torrential rains and winds up to 160 km per hour．Few people lost their lives along the Gulf Coast of the United States, although hundreds died in the Caribbean．

This was a very different outcome from 1900, when a powerful Gulf Coast hurricane made an unexpected direct hit on Galveston, Texas, killing at least 6,000 people．

Vastly improved hurricane warnings explain the different circumstances at either end of the 20th century——residents of Galveston had no advance warning that a storm was approaching, while residents of Biloxi had been warned days in advance, allowing for extensive safety precautions（预防）．

At the same time that people in Biloxi were thankful for the advance warning, some residents of New Orleans, Louisiana were less satisfied．A day before Georges made landfall, forecasters were predicting that the hurricane had a good chance of striking New Orleans．Because much of New Orleans lies below sea level, the city is at risk for flooding．Emergency management officials must begin evacuations（疏散）well before a storm strikes．But evacuation costs money: businesses close, tourists leave, and citizens take precautionary measures．The mayor of New Orleans estimated that his city' s preparations for Georges cost more than 50 million．After Georges missed New Orleans, some residents questioned the value of the hurricane forecasts in the face of such high costs．

The different views on the early warnings for Hurricane Georges show some of the complexities related to predicting disasters．Disaster prediction is a process of providing scientific information to the government officials and other decision makers who must respond to those predictions．

1.What is the purpose of disaster prediction according to the passage?

    A. To identify the cause of disasters．

    B. To save people' s lives and property．

    C. To prevent natural disasters from happening,

    D. To apply advanced technology to disaster prediction．

2.Which of the following areas suffered the most severe damage?

    A. Puerto Rico．                       B. New Orleans．

    C. Biloxi, Mississippi．               D. Galveston, Texas．

3.The city residents of New Orleans were unsatisfied because __   _ .

    A. the forecast hurricane did not hit the city

    B. the hurricane warning arrived rather late

    C. their preparations were made in vain

    D. they suffered from a heavy hurricane attack

4.What does the passage mainly talk about?

    A. The different ways of disaster prediction．

    B. Technological advances in disaster prediction．

    C. The importance and uncertainty of disaster prediction． 

    D. The benefits and preparations of disaster prediction．

At least 115 Chinese miners have been pulled alive from a flooded coal mine after more than seven days trapped underground.

   Rescuers cheered and some shed tears as the latest survivors emerged alive Monday after more than a week trapped in a flooded mine in north China's Shanxi Province. Officials were also relieved as their round-the-clock rescue mission prevented one of the country's worst mining disasters.

   The head of the province's Work Safety ministry, Luo Lin, was among thousands of relatives waiting desperately for news at the pit entrance after rescuers said they had heard voices deep within the mine shaft over the weekend.

   It is a miracle in China's mining rescue history, Luo says. He thanked the rescuers for their effort as he counted the miners leaving the entrance.

By late evening Monday, 115 miners had been pulled out alive, China's state media said. They were led to waiting ambulances with their eyes covered to prevent the glare from lights. All are said to be in a stable condition after being trapped in water for nearly nine days. They were able to breathe during their ordeal thanks to air pockets.                          

Three-thousand rescuers dug and pumped water for seven days to reach the miners at the Wangjialing Coal Mine, which is considered a modern facility.

   The first survivors were brought to the surface shortly after midnight on Monday. Attempts to reach the 38 who remain trapped are continuing.

   153 people were believed to be trapped underground. But families say this is an underestimate, claiming many more were working in the mine at the time of the flooding.

   A preliminary investigation last week found that officials had ignored reports of water leaks prior to the accident.

   China relies heavily on coal to fuel its booming economy. But it has some of the most dangerous mines in the world, with many mine bosses ignoring safety concerns to meet demand and chase profits.

   The government has sought to improve safety in recent years by clamping down on illegal mines and this seems to have prevented many deaths.

   According to official figures, 2,631 coal miners died in 1,616 mine accidents in China in 2009 – down 18 percent from the previous year.

1. Which is the best title of the passage?

A. The Flooded Coal Mine

B. Miners Trapped were Saved

C. The Worst Coal Mine Accident

D. 115 Miners Rescued, 38 Still Missing 

2. The underlined word “round-the-clock” in Para 2 most probably means “_______”.

A. finishing before a particular time

B. changing the time shown by clock

C. all day and all night without stopping

D. from the beginning to the end

3. Which of the following is True according to the passage?

A. Coal plays a decisive role in China’s economy.

B. Mine accidents have been increasing in recent years.

C. 115 miners were working underground when the flooding happened.

D. About 3200 coal miners died in mine accidents in China in 2008.

4. At least 115 coal miners were rescued _______.

A. on the day the accident happened

B. after more than 7 days trapped underground

C. after working underground for 9 days

D. 10 days after the accident happened