Statistically, air travel is by far the safest way to travel, and you can make flying even safer, just by following these simple rules. As your chances of being involved in an air accident are practically nil（不存在）, many of these tips concern what you should and shouldn't do to make your journey safer when you are airborne（升空的）.

Fly on non-stop routes

Most accidents occur during the takeoff, climb, descent and landing phases of a flight, so flying non-stop reduces your exposure to these complex procedures.

Choose larger aircraft

Although small aircraft have very good safety records, those with more than 30 passenger seats are designed to comply（遵守）with much stricter regulations and are tested more regularly to make sure they still comply. Also, in t he unlikely event of a serious accident, larger aircraft provide a better opportunity for passenger survival.

Pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing

The information may seem repetitious（重复的）, but it's worth listening to the flight attendants. And even if you’ve flown before, it doesn’t mean you know everything about the aircraft you're on, such as the location of the closest emergency exit.

Store things safely

Never put very heavy articles in the overhead storage bins. They may fall out when someone opens the bin and cause injury. Also, the bin may not be able to hold heavier objects during turbulence（气流）.

Keep our seat belt fastened while you are seated

Cabin crew always tell you this, but it’s important. You would be seriously injured if the plane hits unexpected turbulence. Always fasten your seat belt if you are told to. The general rule of flying is this: If you are told to do something, do it first and ask questions later.

Let the flight attendant pour your hot drinks

Flight attendants are trained to handle hot drinks like coffee or tea in a crowded aisle on a moving aircraft, so allow them to pour the drink and hand it to you. Never ask to take a coffee pot from one of them.

1.Whom is the passage meant for?

A. Pilots.     B. Flight attendants.     C. Passengers.      D. Airlines.

2.The underlined word “those” in the second tip refers to”______” .

A. smaller planes    B. passengers      C. larger aircrafts      D. safety records

3.What does the author really mean by saying “Cabin crew always tells you this, but it’s important.” In the 5^th tip?

A. Many people don’t pay enough attention to fastening their seat belt.

B. All passengers are glad to accept the crew’s advice.

C. The crew are very responsible.

D. There is no need to remind people to fasten their seat belt.

4.Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

A. Larger planes have more safety checks and are safer.

B. Take-offs are safer on non-stop flights than landings.

C. Every aircraft is different, so the safety procedures may be different.

D. Seat belts should be worn to protect against turbulence.

5.The best title of the passage should be”_____”.

A. The safest way to travel   B. Air safety tips

C. Non-stop routes         D. How to fly a plane

Mars Was Not Always Bitterly Cold
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have reported evidence that Mars was warmer and wetter long ago than it is today.  The Caltech scientists say they have directly established the temperature of Mars four billion years ago. At least, they established the surface temperature on part of the planet at that time. The researchers say it is the first such evidence to be discovered and presented.
The Caltech scientists say carbonate（碳酸盐） minerals formed on Mars at about eighteen degrees Celsius. They reached the finding after studying a meteorite（陨石） that had its beginnings near the Martian surface.
Today, the average temperature on Mars is sixty-three degrees below zero Celsius.
The finding was reported on the website of the National Academy of Sciences. Caltech Assistant Professor Woody Fischer helped to prepare the report. He says eighteen degrees Celsius is not especially cold or hot. He says this makes the finding extremely interesting. Knowing the temperature can give scientists an idea of the climate on Mars long ago. It can also help them decide whether the planet had liquid water. Spacecraft orbiting Mars have shown what appear to be rivers, lakebeds and mineral deposits. These pictures suggest that, at one time, water did flow there. Mars Rover vehicles and other spacecraft have confirmed the information.
Caltech Geology Professor John Eiler was another writer of the report. He says knowing the temperature of Mars from long ago provides valuable information. It shows that early in the planet's history, at least part of Mars could support a climate like that of Earth.
The meteorite the scientists examined is one of the oldest known rocks in the world. It is called the Allan Hills meteorite. Its name came from the place in Antarctica where it was found in 1984. The meteorite is believed to have blown loose from the Mars' surface when another space rock struck its "home."
【小题1】 The underlined word “establish” in Paragraph 1 probably means “___________”.

Passage one（The only way to travel is on foot）

The past ages of man have all been carefully labeled by anthropologists. Descriptions like ‘ Palaeolithic Man’, ‘Neolithic Man’, etc., neatly sum up whole periods. When the time comes for anthropologists to turn their attention to the twentieth century, they will surely choose the label ‘Legless Man’. Histories of the time will go something like this: ‘in the twentieth century, people forgot how to use their legs. Men and women moved about in cars, buses and trains from a very early age. There were lifts and escalators in all large buildings to prevent people from walking. This situation was forced upon earth dwellers of that time because of miles each day. But the surprising thing is that they didn’t use their legs even when they went on holiday. They built cable railways, ski-lifts and roads to the top of every huge mountain. All the beauty spots on earth were marred by the presence of large car parks. ’

The future history books might also record that we were deprived of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another, we failed to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a bird’s-eye view of the world – or even less if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way. When you travel by car or train a blurred image of the countryside constantly smears the windows. Car drivers, in particular, are forever obsessed with the urge to go on and on: they never want to stop. Is it the lure of the great motorways, or what? And as for sea travel, it hardly deserves mention. It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song: ‘I joined the navy to see the world, and what did I see? I saw the sea.’ The typical twentieth-century traveler is the man who always says ‘I’ve been there. ’ You mention the remotest, most evocative place-names in the world like El Dorado, Kabul, Irkutsk and someone is bound to say ‘I’ve been there’ – meaning, ‘I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else. ’

When you travel at high speeds, the present means nothing: you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other place. But actual arrival, when it is achieved, is meaningless. You want to move on again. By traveling like this, you suspend all experience; the present ceases to be a reality: you might just as well be dead. The traveler on foot, on the other hand, lives constantly in the present. For him traveling and arriving are one and the same thing: he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes, his ears and the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physical weariness. He knows that sound. Satisfying sleep will be his: the just reward of all true travellers.

1、Anthorpologists label nowaday’s men ‘Legless’ because

     A   people forget how to use his legs.

     B   people prefer cars, buses and trains.

     C   lifts and escalators prevent people from walking.

     D   there are a lot of transportation devices.

2、Travelling at high speed means

     A   people’s focus on the future.

     B   a pleasure.

     C   satisfying drivers’ great thrill.

     D   a necessity of life.

3、Why does the author say ‘we are deprived of the use of our eyes’ ?

     A   People won’t use their eyes.

     B   In traveling at high speed, eyes become useless.

     C   People can’t see anything on his way of travel.

     D   People want to sleep during travelling.

4、What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?

     A   Legs become weaker.

     B   Modern means of transportation make the world a small place.

     C   There is no need to use eyes.

     D   The best way to travel is on foot.

5. What does ‘a bird’s-eye view’ mean?

     A   See view with bird’s eyes.

     B   A bird looks at a beautiful view.

     C   It is a general view from a high position looking down.

     D   A scenic place.

If you were a pilot flying a plane, and suddenly the engine failed, would you eject (弹出), or stay in? For a pilot, the choice is very difficult. If he ejects, he is wise, but the plane crashes. If he stays in the plane, he risks his life.

Recently, Chinese Air Force pilot Li Feng, 38, faced this choice during a training exercise. It was March 7 and he was flying a Jian-10 (Flghter-10) at 4,500 meters. A warning appeared on the plane’s computer screen. He realized the plane might fail at any moment.

Li Feng did a quick check of the engine and asked the base if he could return. When the fighter was 7km away from the airport, however, the engine stopped working. The plane began to fall at a speed of 25 meters a second from an altitude of 1,160 meters.

Under Air Force rules fighter pilots may eject if their aircraft loses engine power below 2,000 meters and can’t be restarted. Before Li lost contact with the control tower, the commander in the air base asked him to eject. But Li Feng insisted on having another try.

“I knew where the deadline (to abandon the aircraft) was and was prepared for the ejection, but I decided not to give up unless the fighter was totally out of control,” Li recalled during a recent television interview.

After 104 seconds, Li was able to bring the fighter to a safe landing. The plane only suffered slight damage.

“You are a hero! Congratulations!” Li’s teacher, Xu yongling wrote in a text message to him after the landing. He said Li was a cool-headed pilot and very professional.

Li’s brave and calm act not only saved the 200 million yuan aircraft but also gave him invaluable first-hand experience of dealing with an engine emergency.

For his outstanding performance, the Air Force recently awarded him a gold medal.

When the engine stopped working, Li Feng _________.

A. was flying a Jian-10 at 4,500 meters        B. saw a warning appeared on the plane’s computer screen

C. was still calm and cool-headed             D. was asked to stay in, but he ejected

When the fighter plane loses engine power below 2,000 meters, ___________.

A. pilots must restart it as soon as possible      B. pilots should repair it as soon as possible

C. pilots may eject for safety                 D. pilots should bring it to a safe landing

Why didn’t Li Feng give up the plane?

A. Because he had no choice but to stay in the plane.

B. Because the fighter was not totally out of control.

C. Because he didn’t know how to eject.         D. Because he wanted to get a gold medal.

What is the best title for the passage?

A. Flying the Fighter Correctly                   B. When to Abandon the Aircraft

C. How to Deal with an Engine Emergency         D. Bring the Fighter to a safe Landing

He has lived through various dangers but time may be running out for the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.

On September 11, Israel announced its decision to remove him, following several Palestinian suicide bomb attacks on Israel. “He should be punished for the killings,” an Israeli official said, “He has done nothing to stop the terrorist groups.”

But the decision has angered many other countries. China said that Arafat is the true leader, elected by the Palestinian people, and removing him would harm the peace in the Middle East. Other governments share this idea.

Arafat himself said: “They can kill me, but never get me out of my country.” He has spent most of his life in danger as the most important aim of Israel. But, just like a cat with nine lives, Arafat escaped every time.

For years he has made a practice of sleeping in a different bed each night, thinking a moving person is harder to hit. In 1985, Israel sent fighter planes to kill Arafat. The wild bombing destroyed his office in Tunis but Arafat himself was unhurt. In 1992, the aircraft in which he was flying over North Africa broke in two during a crash landing. The pilot was killed but he managed to remain alive.

What is so unbelievable is that he always remains calm in great danger. Israeli tanks and planes attacked his office building in Ram Allah in December 2001. When they saw the attackers coming, Arafat’s bodyguards took no notice of his orders to stay still and carried him to safety underground. Seconds later, several bombs were dropped nearby. Though safe, his bodyguards were so frightened that they were wet in sweat.

But, Arafat, with Israeli tanks only 200 meters away, showed no fear at all. He stayed in the damaged office, talking by phone with foreign leaders in hope of preventing further attacks from Israel.

All these experiences have made him a beloved leader to his people and an enemy to some others.

But has he used up the last of his nine lives? Only time will tell.

1..    According to the passage, which statement is true?

    A. In 1992, Arafat’s plane crashed in South Africa.

    B. Israeli officers thought Arafat himself sent the terrorist groups to Israel.

    C. China is the only country against Israel’s decision of removing Arafat.

D. Being Palestinian leader, Arafat would rather die in his own country than be driven away

from his people.

2..   . What did the author mean by saying “just like a cat has nine lives” when he talked about Arafat?

    A. Arafat is as clever as a cat.

    B. Arafat can live as long as a cat.

    C. Arafat can stay alive after accidents or disasters as if he has nine lives.

    D. Arafat should have died for at least 8 times.

3..    The underlined phrase “took no notice of” can be replaced by __________.

    A. obeyed         B. ignored          C. disagreed      D. dissatisfied

4..   . What’s the writer’s attitude towards Arafat’s future, judging from the last sentence of the passage?

    A. Hopeful.       B. Interesting.     C. Satisfactory.  D. Doubtful.