Steve Fossett did not really look like an adventurer, but he reached some of the most difficult goals in sailing and flying.
Fossett was most proud of being the first person to fly around the world alone in a hot-air balloon. To make a trip around the world alone, it was necessary to have an improved autopilot (自动驾驶仪) device. Fossett had one of his team members develop a more advanced balloon autopilot that would allow him to sleep and do other tasks while flying safely.
Steve Fossett attempted the hot-air balloon trip around the world six times. This was not easy to do. He flew in the balloon’s capsule (密封舱) that was too small to stand upright. During his fourth attempt in 1998, he was almost killed during a storm off the coast of Australia. He fell 9,000 meters into the Coral Sea with his balloon’s capsule on fire. He was later rescued at sea.
Fossett successfully made the trip in 2002. The trip started and ended in Australia. He traveled more than 33,000 kilometers for more than 14 days. On this flight, Fossett set other records including a speed record of 322 kilometers per hour. One main problem with earlier balloon flights was the threat of dangerous storms. A team of weather experts e-mailed and talked to Fossett by a satellite telephone to help him avoid such weather.   
Steve Fossett’s hot-air balloon is now at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.  It is there as an example for other people to try and succeed in doing something important to them.
【小题1】What did Steve Fossett specially prepare for the trip around the world?

Steve Fossett did not really look like an adventurer, but he reached some of the most difficult goals in sailing and flying.
Fossett was most proud of being the first person to fly around the world alone in a hot-air balloon. To make a trip around the world alone, it was necessary to have an improved autopilot (自动驾驶仪) device. Fossett had one of his team members develop a more advanced balloon autopilot that would allow him to sleep and do other tasks while flying safely.
Steve Fossett attempted the hot-air balloon trip around the world six times. This was not easy to do. He flew in the balloon’s capsule (密封舱) that was too small to stand upright. During his fourth attempt in 1998, he was almost killed during a storm off the coast of Australia. He fell 9,000 meters into the Coral Sea with his balloon’s capsule on fire. He was later rescued at sea.
Fossett successfully made the trip in 2002. The trip started and ended in Australia. He traveled more than 33,000 kilometers for more than 14 days. On this flight, Fossett set other records including a speed record of 322 kilometers per hour. One main problem with earlier balloon flights was the threat of dangerous storms. A team of weather experts e-mailed and talked to Fossett by a satellite telephone to help him avoid such weather.   
Steve Fossett’s hot-air balloon is now at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.  It is there as an example for other people to try and succeed in doing something important to them.

1. 1.

   What did Steve Fossett specially prepare for the trip around the world?

   1. A.
      He made the balloon’s capsule bigger.
   2. B.
      He had an autopilot impvoved.
   3. C.
      He formed a team to fly with him.
   4. D.
      He improved the balloon’s engine.
2. 2.

   Steve Fossett solved the problem of bad weather on his trip by ______.

   1. A.
      communicating with experts
   2. B.
      using his rich experience
   3. C.
      inventing a satellite phone
   4. D.
      consulting other adventurers
3. 3.

   We can learn from the text that Steve Fossett was ______.

   1. A.
      patient and careful
   2. B.
      modest and easy-going
   3. C.
      brave and determined
   4. D.
      energetic and kind-hearted
4. 4.

   What can we learn about Steve’s flight in 2002?

   1. A.
      He was rescued during the trip.
   2. B.
      He lost his way over the sea.
   3. C.
      It lasted over three weeks.
   4. D.
      He set a speed record of balloon flight.

　　阅读理解：

　　At one time, computers were expected largely to remove the need for paper copies of documents (文件) because they could be stored electronically．But for all the texts that are written, stored and sent electronically, a lot of them are still ending up on paper．

　　It is difficult to measure the quantity of paper used as a result of use of Internet-connected computers, although just about anyone who works in an office can tell you that when email is introduced, the printers start working overtime．“I feel in my bones this revolution is causing more trees to be cut down,” says Ted Smith of the Earth Village Organization．

　　Perhaps the best sign of how computer and Internet use pushes up demand for paper comes from the high-tech industry itself, which sees printing as one of its most promising new markets．Several Internet companies have been set up to help small businesses print quality documents from a computer．Earlier this week Hewlett-Packard Co．announced a plan to develop new technologies that will enable people to print even more so they can get a hard copy of a business document, a medical record or just a one-line email, even if they are nowhere near a computer．As the company sees it, the more use of the Internet the greater demand for printers．

　　Does all this mean environmental concerns (环境问题) have been forgotten? Some activists suggest people have been led to believe that a lot of dangers to the environment have gone away．“I guess people believe that the problem is taken care of, because of recycling,” said Kelly Quirke, director of the Rainforest Action Network in San Francisco．Yet Quirke is hopeful that high-tech may also prove helpful．He says printers that print on both sides are growing in popularity．The action group has also found acceptable paper made from materials other than wood, such as agricultural waste．

1．The growing demand for paper in recent years is largely due to________．

[　　]

A．the rapid development of small businesses

B．the opening up of new markets

C．the printing of high quality copies

D．the increased use of the Internet

2．Environmentalists believe one possible way of dealing with the paper situation is________．

[　　]

A．to encourage printing more quality documents

B．to develop new printers using recycled paper

C．to find new materials for making paper

D．to plant more fast growing trees

3．Hewlett-Packard Co．has decided to develop new technologies because________．

[　　]

A．people are concerned about the environment

B．printers in many offices are working overtime

C．small companies need more hard copies

D．they see a growing market for printers

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

[　　]

A．Computers and Printers

B．Email and the Business World

C．Internet Revolution and Environment

D．Modern Technology and New Markets

Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-the-world bicycle trip. White had two reasons for making this epic journey. First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity which he did. He raised $70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam. White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not.

White set off from Trafalgar Square, in London, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later. He spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle（车座）and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains. He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas. Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team. No jeep carrying food, water and medicine. No doctor. Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road.

The journey was lonely and desperate at times. He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains. He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need. There were other dangers along the road. In Iran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had. The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south of Australia. For 1,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him. This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end. Now Mr. White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures.

56 When Phil White returned from his trip, he________.

A. collected some money for Oxfam                  B. broke the world record related

C. ruined several bikes                                      D. travelled around 1,300 hours

57. What does the word "epic" underlined in Paragraph l most probably mean________.

A. slow but exciting                                    B. lonely but exciting

C. interesting but tiring                                  D. difficult but admiring

58. During his journey around the world, Phil White _______.

A. fought against robbers in Iran                              B. struggled against the wind in Australia

C. experienced the extremes of heat and cold                D. had a team of helpful people

59. Which of the following words can best describe Phil White?

A. Imaginative.              B. Determined .               C. Modest.                     D. Creative.