For the second time in three years, Norway's Robert Sorlie delivered a brave performance to win sled-dog racing's toughest contest—the Iditarod. The 47-year-old firefighter crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska, at 8:39 a.m. local time Wednesday morning.

"It feels good to be here," he declared, after passing the finish line. "I'm ready for breakfast."

Frosty temperatures, rough land, and exhaustion couldn't break the musher （赶狗拉雪撬的人）, who completed the race in 9 days, 18 hours, 39 minutes, and 31 seconds. Runner-up Ed Iten finished 34 minutes later, and defending champ Mitch Seavey finished third.

Sorlie took his first lead at the 365-mile mark, but fell into second place halfway through the race. With 500 miles to go, he regained the lead for good.

Iditarod officials rewarded Sorlie with a generous prize of $72,066 and a new truck. But even more exciting for the winner was the historic nature of his ride. By winning this year's race, Sorlie joins a best group of mushers, becoming only the sixth person to win the Iditarod more than once.

After winning several major long-distance races in Europe, Sorlie made his Iditarod first appearance in 2002, finishing in ninth place. A year later, he returned to take on the Alaskan wilderness once again, and won.

Iditarod: A Quick History

Since 1973, the world's top competitors have gathered in Alaska to undertake the Iditarod's 1,150-mile trail, which stretches from Anchorage to Nome.

The race commemorates（纪念）a group of courageous mushers and dogs. In 1925, they traveled across part of the Idit trail to deliver serum（血清）to save sick children in Nome.

How many times has Robert Sorlie won the Iditarod?

       A．Once.     B．Twice.     C．Three times.          D．Several times.

How long did it take Ed Iten to finish the race?

       A．9 days, 19 hours, 13 minutes, and 31 seconds.

       B．9 days, 18 hours, 5 minutes, and 31 seconds.

       C．9 days, 18 hours, 39 minutes, and 31 seconds.

       D．9 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes, and 31 seconds.

This win was very important for Sorlie because he could _____.

       A．get the generous prize of $72,066 and a new truck

       B．get a chance to race in Europe

       C．join a best group of mushers

       D．save sick children in Nome

How long has the Iditarod been held?

       A．Only 3 years.   B．Over 100 years.       C．About 80 years.       D．Over 20 years.

Thomas Alva Edison was awarded more patents on inventions than any other American. When he died in 1931, Americans wondered how they could best show their respect for him. One suggestion was that the nation observe a minute or two of total blackout. All electric power would be shut off in homes, streets, and factories. Perhaps this suggested plan made Americans realize fully what Edison and his inventions mean to them. Electric power was too important to the country. Shutting it off for even a short time would have led to complete confusion. A blackout was impossible.

On the day of Edison's funeral, many people silently dimmed their lights. In this way they honored the man who had done more than anyone else to put the great force of electricity at his countrymen's fingertips.

1.This selection says that Thomas Edison ________.

2.People decided to honor Edison when ________.

3.The suggested plan was to ________.

When someone says, “Well, I guess I'll have to face the music”, it doesn't mean that he is planning to go to hear a singer or attend a concert. It is something far less unhappy than you are called in by your leader to explain why you did this and that or why you did not do this or that.

At some time or another, every one of us has to “face the music”, especially (尤其) as children. We can all remember father?s angry words “I want to talk to you”. And only because we did not listen to him. What a bad thing it was!

In the middle or at the end of every term, we students have to “face the music”. The result of the exam will decide whether we will face the music or not. If...that means parents cold faces and contempt (轻视) of the teachers and classmates.

“To face the music” is well known to every American, young or old. It is at least 100 years old. It really means that you have to do something, no matter (无论) how terrible the whole thing might be, because you know you have no choice.

1.“To face the music"means “to____ ”.

  A. do something that we don't like to     B. go to the theatre

  C. go to the music show                   D. do something that we want to

2.In the third paragraph, “If...”really means “If____ ”.

   A. we don't do a good job               B. we get an“A” in the exam

   C. the exam is easy                     D. the exam is difficult

3.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

  A.“To face the music” is well known in the United States.

  B.“To face the music” has a history of more than 100 years.

  C. The young Americans know what “to face the music” means.

  D.Only the old in the United States know the meaning of“to face the music”.

Thomas Alva Edison was awarded more patents on inventions than any other American. When he died in 1931, Americans wondered how they could best show their respect for him. One suggestion was that the nation observe a minute or two of total blackout. All electric power would be shut off in homes, streets, and factories. Perhaps this suggested plan made Americans realize fully what Edison and his inventions mean to them. Electric power was too important to the country. Shutting it off for even a short time would have led to complete confusion. A blackout was impossible.

     On the day of Edison's funeral, many people silently dimmed their lights. In this way they honored the man who had done more than anyone else to put the great force of electricity at his countrymen's fingertips.

1.This selection says that Thomas Edison ________.

     A．was the only important American inventor     

B．received the first American patent

C．received more patents than any other American 

D．was the first American inventor

2.People decided to honor Edison when ________.

     A．he made the first electric light               

B．electric power was 100 years

C．the country realized electricity's importance    

D．he died in 1931

3.The suggested plan was to ________.

     A．turn off the lights in factories and schools  

B．observe a few minutes of total silence

C．dim all electric lights                  

D．shut off all electricity for a short time

All areas of the world face a nurses shortage. But the shortage is most severe in developing countries. Many of their nurses move to the more developed nations for better pay, better working conditions and better chances for career development. For example, nearly 2,000 nurses left the Caribbean between 2002 and 2006.

       The Caribbean nations currently have about 1 nurse for every 1,000 people. The ratio(比例) of nurses to population is about 10 times higher in the United States and countries in the European Union(EU). Now, more than 21,000 nurses who trained in the Caribbean are working in the United States, Canada and Britain.

       Gaetan Lafortune is an official of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(O.E.C.D) in Paris. He says the nurses shortage also affects industrialized countries. He says, “There is concern in most O.E.C.D.countries that the number of nurses is too small to meet the demand. And what is more worrying is that their concern is sort of growing.” Mr Lafortune says a large number of nurses are expected to retire within the next 10 years. At the same time, the health care needs of aging populations are expected to grow, intensifying the shortage of nurses.

       Gaetan Lafortune said, “In the U.S., for instance, some researchers have found that there may be a shortage of close to a million nurses by 2020.” The United States is 1 of the 21 countries in the O.C.E.D. Gaetan Lafortune says in the recent years many of the countries increased their efforts to hire foreign nurses. As a result of that, O.E.C.D. countries were mainly exporting their shortage problem to countries that may have an even greater need for these nurses.

What will be the main causes of the global nurses shortage in the next 10 years?

       a. The demand for nurses will decrease.                    

b. Many nurses will be too old to work.

       c. Many rich countries will hire more foreign nurses. 

d. Nurses are often looked down upon.

       e. Aging populations will increase rapidly

       A. a and b             B. b and c              C. b and e              D. c and d

The underlined word “intensify” in para. 3 means “________”.

       A. strengthen         B. neglect            C. reduce               D. cause

We know from this text that America and the EU countries ______.

       A. refuse to offer equal pay to foreign nurses

       B. have at least one nurse out of 100 people

       C. don’t like to train nurses of their own countries

       D. have more serious nursing problems than the Caribbean nations

What does the text mainly tell us?

       A. Nursing is no longer a worthwhile profession in most countries.

       B. The different attitudes towards nursing in different countries.

       C. Nurses shortage will result in serious consequences.

       D. The health care industry needs more nurses.