阅读理解

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项中选出最佳选项。

　　We had hardly got above the clouds over the airport when a calm voice said over the loudspeaker:“For technical reasons we shall be returning immediately to London Airport. Please keep your seatbelts fastened.”

　　I was rather surprised and glanced at the old lady next to me. She had been very chatty while we were waiting to take off.

　　“I'm going to New York to visit some relatives there. I always sleep wonderfully welt whenever I get into a plane.”she had told me.

　　And indeed, she seemed to he in a very deep sleep already.

　　Just then a passenger behind me shouted,“Oh, my God! The wing's on fire.”

　　I looked out of the window and my blood froze. Smoke and flames were pouring out of one of the engines. The plane was already turning and losing altitude fast.

　　“What's happening? Are we going to crash?”an American in front of me demanded.

　　The cabin crew were already moving up and down the aisle (走道), reassuring (安慰) people, saying things like,“It's just all right. There's no need to worry. Now, if you just sit still, everything will be all right. Don't get up. Don't get upset.”

　　I looked out again. The ground was rushing up at us with shocking speed. We were already so low that I could make out cars and even people.

“It's only a slight emergency,”a stewardess told me with a tense smile.

Suddenly there was a sickening bump and we were rushing along the runway at a terrifying speed. The brakes screeched (发出尖锐刺耳的声音). The engines roared even more loudly. We came to a trembling stop. The cabin crew quickly opened the emergency exits and the passengers began sliding down huge, stocking-like chutes (滑道) to the ground. A fire engine was already putting out the fire in one engine. I had to shake the old lady violently to wake her up.

　　“What's wrong? Surely the journey isn't over already! I mean, have we got to New York?”she asked sleepily.

1．When did the emergency occur?

[　　]

A．We are not told.

B．Just before the plane landed in New York.

C．Shortly after the plane took off.

D．Sometime in the middle of the flight.

2．What does the underlined word“altitude”(in Paragraph 6) refer to?

[　　]

A．Height above sea-level.

B．Place or area high above sea-level.

C．Way of thinking or behaving.

D．Way of positioning the body.

3．What would be the best title for the text?

[　　]

A．An unpleasant flight.

B．An interesting experience.

C．An unforgettable experience.

D．Brave cabin crew.

4．When they landed, the old lady _____.

[　　]

A．was one of the first to get out

B．asked when they were going on lo New York

C．was shaking violently with fear

D．was not even sure where they were

As a physician who travels quite a lot, I spend a lot of time on planes listening for that dreaded “Is there a doctor on board?” announcement. I’ve been   16  only once — for a woman who had merely fainted. But the   17  made me quite curious about how   18  this kind of thing happens. I wondered what I would do if   19  with a real midair medical emergency — without access   20  a hospital staff and the usual emergency equipment. So   21  the New England Journal of Medicine last week   22  a study about in-flight medical events, I read it   23  interest.
　　The study estimated that there are a(n)   24  of 30 in-flight medical emergencies on U.S. flights every day. Most of them are not   25 ; fainting and dizziness are the most frequent complaints.  26  13% of them — roughly four a day — are serious enough to   27  a pilot to change course. The most common of the serious emergencies   28  heart trouble, strokes, and difficulty breathing.
　　Let’s face it: plane rides are   29 . For starters, cabin pressures at high altitudes are set at roughly      30  they would be if you lived at 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. Most people can tolerate these pressures pretty   31 , but passengers with heart disease   32  experience chest pains as a result of the reduced amount of oxygen flowing through their blood.   33  common in-flight problem is deep venous thrombosis — the so-called economy class syndrome (综合症).   34  happens, don’t panic. Things are getting better on the in-flight-emergency front. Thanks to more recent legislation (立法), flights with at      35  one attendant are starting to install emergency medical kits to treat heart attacks.

As a physician who travels quite a lot, I spend a lot of time on planes listening for that dreaded “Is there a doctor on board?” announcement. I’ve been   16  only once — for a woman who had merely fainted. But the   17  made me quite curious about how   18  this kind of thing happens. I wondered what I would do if   19  with a real midair medical emergency — without access   20  a hospital staff and the usual emergency equipment. So   21  the New England Journal of Medicine last week   22  a study about in-flight medical events, I read it   23  interest.

　　The study estimated that there are a(n)   24  of 30 in-flight medical emergencies on U.S. flights every day. Most of them are not   25 ; fainting and dizziness are the most frequent complaints.  26  13% of them — roughly four a day — are serious enough to   27  a pilot to change course. The most common of the serious emergencies   28  heart trouble, strokes, and difficulty breathing.

　　Let’s face it: plane rides are   29 . For starters, cabin pressures at high altitudes are set at roughly      30  they would be if you lived at 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. Most people can tolerate these pressures pretty   31 , but passengers with heart disease   32  experience chest pains as a result of the reduced amount of oxygen flowing through their blood.   33  common in-flight problem is deep venous thrombosis — the so-called economy class syndrome (综合症).   34  happens, don’t panic. Things are getting better on the in-flight-emergency front. Thanks to more recent legislation (立法), flights with at      35  one attendant are starting to install emergency medical kits to treat heart attacks.

完形填空 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从41—55各题所给的A、B、C和D项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Never Save Something Beautiful for That Special Day

　　Years ago I was talking with a classmate in Sydney. At the time his wife had just passed away not too long ago. He told me while going through her things, he found a silk scarf _1  in a designer store when they had traveled to New York City. The scarf was beautiful, with elegant _2 , and a high price tag still hanging. His wife begrudged wearing it; she was _3  it for a special day.

　　He _4  at that moment; I didn't say anything either. After a long pause he said: “Never save something beautiful for that special day. Each _5  day is a special day.”

　　Whenever I _6  what he had said, I would put down the things I was doing to grab a novel, turn on the music and lie down on the couch to _7  some time for myself. I would appreciate the glorious scenery of the Tanshui River through a French window, _8  the dust gathered on the glass. I would take my wife out to _9 , not thinking what to do with the meal already cooked. Life should be the experience we truly cherish, not days we just have to endure.

　　One time I shared the above conversation with a lady. When I saw her again, she told me that she no longer _10  the beautiful china in a cabinet. She had thought to save them for a special day, only to discover that it never _11  came. “Future”, “someday” are not contained in her _12  any more. If there are things that are pleasant or make her complacent, she wants to hear or see them now.

　　We often hope to gather with old friends, but always say, “let's find a(n) _13 .” We often want to hug our grown children, but always wait for the appropriate moment. We often want to write to our spouses to express our strong affection or to show our deep admiration, but always tell ourselves that there is no need to _14 . In fact, each morning when we open our eyes, we should tell ourselves that this is a special day. Each day, each minute is so incredibly _15 .