A newspaper reporter’s job can be very interesting. He meets all types of people and lives quite a busy life. He is on the rush for news all the time, then after several years he may get a desk job, and life becomes a bit more settled. Let’s look at his work a little more closely. In a day he may have to interview the prime minister of a foreign country, and the next day he may be writing about a football match. Sometimes he may be so busy that he has hardly any time to sleep. And at other times he may go on for days looking out for news materials yet return empty-handed.

　　In the beginning, a reporter has to cover a very wide field. After the early years he becomes more specialized in his work. For example, he may finally be asked to write only on court cases or politics or sports. Some reporters may become so specialized that they are asked only to write on a special thing: horse racing, for example. In most newspaper houses there is at least one special racing correspondent. Some newspapers have book reviews. Their job is delightful. They read the latest book and then write reviews on the ones they like. Then there are those who write on films, so they get to see them even before they are shown in the cinema. How lucky, you would say!

　　A reporter’s job can also be very dangerous. A number of them have died rushing from one assignment to another, and if there is a flood or a riot(暴乱) they may get hurt or even be killed. Three years ago there was a reporter whose camera was smashed by a group of men, because they were angry with him for taking their picture. Dangerous or not, one thing is certain, and that is, their job is never dull!

1.What does the underlined phrase “on the rush” mean in the passage?

A．on the beach       B．on the spot        C．in a hurry         D．in no time

2.Reporters who write on films are said to be lucky because they _____.

A．can see more film stars

B．can see the films before most people see them in the cinema

C．can pay less than other people

D．can write anything they like

3.A reporter’s work becomes dangerous when _____.

A．there is an interview with the prime minister  B．there is a football match

C．he is seeing a horror film                  D．there is a flood or a riot

4.From the passage we can infer that, to be a good reporter, he must be all of the following except _____.

A．brave            B．quick in mind       C．strong            D．well-informed

  A new study in West Africa shows how farm irrigation systems powered by the sun can produce more food and money for villagers. The study in Benin found that solar-powered pumps are effective in supplying water, especially during the long dry season.

  Sub-Saharan Africa is the part of the world with the least food security. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that more than one billion of the world’s people faced hunger last year. Around two hundred sixty-five million of them live south of the Sahara Desert. Lack of rainfall is one of their main causes of food shortages.

  Jennifer Burney from Stanford University in California led the study. The research team helped build three solar-powered irrigation systems in northern Benin.

The solar-powered irrigation systems produced an average of nearly two metric tons of vegetables per month.

  They sold the surplus(过剩的) produce at local markets. The earnings greatly increased their ability to buy food during the dry season which can last six to nine months.

  People in the two villages with the systems were able to eat three to five more serving of vegetables per day. But making the surplus available at markets also had a wider effect.

  The study compared the villages with two others where women farmed with traditional methods like carrying water in buckets. The amount of vegetables eaten in those villages also increased, though not as much.

  The researchers note that only four percent of the cropland in sub-Saharan Africa is irrigated. Using solar power to pump water has higher costs at first. But the study says it can be more economical in the long term than using fuels like gasoline, diesel or kerosene. And solar power is environmentally friendly.

1.People living in sub-Saharan Africa are short of food mainly because______.

  A. it seldom rains there throughout the year   B. there is little farmland in the area

  C. people there lack experience in farming    D. people know nothing about irrigation techniques

2.Which of the following is an advantage of Jennifer’s irrigation systems?

  A. They are not affected by the weather.

B. They cost much less than traditional irrigation systems.

  C. They have no bad effects on the environment.

  D. They use less fuel than traditional irrigation systems.

3.We can learn from the last paragraph that______.

  A. people in South Africa will soon be provided with enough food

  B. the demand for fuels like gasoline will greatly decrease in Africa

  C. people in sub-Saharan Africa don’t take agriculture seriously

  D. it’s worthwhile to use the new irrigation systems on the while

4.People in the two villages owe all the following to Jennifer’s irrigation systems EXCEPT that ______.

  A. they could buy more food during the dry season

  B. they could eat more vegetables than usual every day

  C. they could supply local markets with vegetables

  D. they could provide people in other villages with food

D

This is a time of year when we think about giving and receiving presents. Can you find little extra to give? On this page we suggest a few organizations you might like to help.

Littleton Children’d Home

We DON’T want your money, but children’s toys, books and clothes IN GOOD CONDITION would be very welcome.

Also,we are looking for friendly families who would take our children into their homes for a few hours or days as guests. You have so much —will you share it?

Phone Sister Thomas on 55671.

Children’s Hospice

We look after a small number of very sick children. This important work needs skill and love. We cannot continue without gifts or money to pay for more nursting staff(职员). We also need story books and toys suitable for quiet games.

Please contact :The Seeretary, Little Children’s Hospice, Newly Road.

Street Food

In the winter weather, it’s not fun being homeless. It’s even worse if you’re hungry. We give hot food to at least fifty people every night. It’s hard work, but necessary. Can you come and help? If not, can you find a little money? We used a very old kitchen, and we need some new saucepans. Money for new ones would be most welcome indeed.

Contact Stree Food, c/o Mary’s House, Elming Way. Littleton Phone 55823.

Littleton Youth Club

Have you got an unwanted chair?record player? a pot of paint?

Because we use them!

We want to get to work on our meeting room!

Please phone 55231and we’ll be happy to collect anything you can give us!

Thank you !

The Night Shelter

We offer a warm bed for the night to anyone who has nowhere to go. We rent the former Commercial Hotel on Green Street. Although it is not expensive,we never seem to have enough money. Can you let us have a few pounds ? Any amount, however small, will be such help.

Send it to us 15, Greet St, Littleton. Please make check payable to Night Shelter.

58．Reading the passage, you might like to help these organizations while working for       .

       A．homeless and sick children        

       B．less fortunate members of our society

       C．hungry people who have no beds to sleep in     

       D．friendly members of our society to help others

59．We can infer        .

       A．there are too many social problems in this country

       B．people are very poor during the time for giving

       C．warm-hearted people like to give away money

       D．this passage is taken from a local newspaper

60．If your children have grown up, you my take the children’s things to      .

       A．Children’s Home and Children’s Hospice     

       B．Youth Club and Children’s Home

       C．Children’s Hospice and Night Shelter

    D．Youth Club and Night Shelter

I’d been 16 for six days and was already prepared to deal with failure. I remember when my mum   36  me up that morning, her voice wasn’t as   37  as it usually was.
I stayed in bed for a few minutes. I was   38  to leave its warmth and comfort, and didn’t want to face the problem that I’d let myself   39  for the past six months. Finally, I dragged myself out of    40 .
I finished getting ready and tried to   41 . It didn’t work, so I decided that my   42  should go with me. We had a little time, so I thought we could practice parking. I   43 , with the wheel hitting the fence. After that, the little bit of confidence I’d had was   44 . I tried two more times, but didn’t   45  much. Then we headed to the test site.
I went into a room for some paperwork. And I waited for 20 minutes—just   46  time to make myself believe that I was going to fail. Then, finally, it was my   47 . I just wanted to get it over and make sure that I had to come back next Thursday.
I stepped outside and the sky was the light blue I love. It offered me some   48  and I realized something: something between when I pulled myself off the seat and when I got outside. I had become   49  and confident.
The first thing I had to do was parking, which I did quite   50 . The confidence that came with it hit me like a wave. The rest of the test went well too and I   51  it all. As I drove back, the instructor told me I would not be coming back for a second   52  next Thursday.
Back in the building I didn’t have to say a word. My mum knew just by looking at me. Her    53  made her face softer. And I’m sure it was at least as big as the smile on my face. Her eyes, 54 , looked kind of teary. I knew she was   55  for me.

There are little cars that may some day take the place of today’s automobiles(汽车). If everyone drives such a little car in the future, there will be less pollution in the air, there will be more parking space in cities, and the streets will be less crowded. The space now for one car of the usual size can hold at least three such little cars.

The little cars will cost much less to own and to drive. Driving will be safer, too, as these little cars can go only 65 kilometers an hour.

The cars of the future will be fine for going around the city, but they will not be useful for going far away. If the car is powered by electricity, it will have two batteries—one battery for the motor and the other for the horn (喇叭), signals (信号灯), etc. Little cars which are powered by gas will go 45 kilometers before needing to stop for more gas.

If big cars are still used along with the small ones, two sets of roads will be needed to set up in the future. Some roads will be used for the big, fast cars, and other roads will be needed for the small, slower ones.

1. What’s the advantage (优势) of the small cars?

  A. There won’t be so much pollution and the small cars won’t be so expensive as the big ones.

  B. It will be safer to drive these small cars.

  C. There will be more space for cars to park.

  D. All of the above.

2. Two sets of roads are necessary in the future in order to      .

  A. prevent car accidents

B. make the city more beautiful

  C. let small cars run fast

D. limit the speed of the cars

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

  A. A car of the usual size now is three times as big as the small car.

  B. The small car with a speed of 65 kilometers an hour is much more useless than a car of the usual size.

  C. the little car will be safer but cost more.

  D. The little car will need more gas.

4. The best title for this passage should be      .

  A. Big Cars and Small Cars

  B. How to Drive Small Cars

  C. Cars for Tomorrow

  D. Cars for Everyone