The Apple iPhone’s impact was widely evident (明显的) at the Consumer Electronics Show, as new touch－screen devices could be found everywhere.

The consumer electronics industry came unbuttoned in Las Vegas this week. At the annual Consumer Electronics Show, companies from around the world unveiled many devices boasting (以拥有…而自豪) touch – sensitive technology, rather than traditional push-button controls.

Motorola, Sony, and LG Electronics all showed off touch-screen phones this week. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates praised and offered a touch-screen computer, the Surface, related to a flat panel TV for a tabletop. Even camera makers, such as Kodak，included touch-screen LCDs in their devices. Touch-screen tech has been in use for years，but the push to develop and weave it into consumer electronics gathered steam with the June introduction of Apple’s iPhone. “The touch-screen industry is really getting hot,” says Jennifer Colegrove, a senior analyst at iSuppli. “Since the iPhone came out, there are a lot of companies that did not have a relationship with touch screens before that decided, ‘OK, I want to make a touch screen, too.’”

The touch－screen tech ecosystem now includes more than 100 companies specializing in everything from smudge-proof (防污的) screens to sensors (传感器) able to detect fingers before they even contact the screen. Sales of leading touch-screen technologies，such as those used in mobile phones and navigation (航行) devices，are expected to rise to $ 4.4 billion in 2012, up from $ 2.4 billion in 2006，according to iSuppli estimates.

1.What did the writer think about the Apple iPhone？

2.What is the meaning of the underlined word “unveiled” in the second paragraph？

3.The touch-screen tech was used in consumer electronics mainly because of _______.

4.What can we learn from the passage?

Our tours leave directly from the Las Vegas Strip, no terminals, saving up to 2 hours’ time! Our prices include all fees—including fuel and anything else you can think of; we also beat any competitor’s price by 5%.
South Rim—Grand Canyon Luxury Coach Tour $79 Per Person
Our Grand Canyon Tour is the only luxury Motor Coach Tour that stops at Bright Angel Lodge for a full three hours, at which point you can take the free shuttle to multiple viewpoints including Mather Point, Yavapai Point…click above for more details.
West Rim—Grand Canyon Tour $125 Per Person
This tour stops at Haulapai Indian Reservation of the Grand Canyon. These stops include Eagle and Guano Point. There’re also extra stops along the way for shopping and smoking. This package not only includes the Grand Canyon, but a short photo stop at the Hoover Dam as well… click above for more details.
Airplane Tours & Helicopter Tours
These breath-taking tours take you into the skies above the Grand Canyon for a once-in-a-life-time adventrue that can be shared by the whole family or by yourself. Airplane Tours starting at $164 per person, and Helicopter Tours starting at $304 per person…click above for more details.
Hoover Dam—AM/PM Mini Tour $37.5 Per Person
Hoover Dam Mini Tour starts your morning or afternoon with a short drive to Lake Mead—created by the Dam in 1935, and continues along to include the Power Plant Tour, guided by a Hoover Dam expert. A delicious lunch is included…click above for more details.
Las Vegas to Hollywood 1 Day Tour $185 Per Person
This tour takes you sightseeing down and around Hollywood Blvd/Beverly Hills, home of the world-famous Walk of Fame as well as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. It ends at beautiful Santa Monica Beach & Pier… click above for more details.
1. If you’re with a self-challenging spirit, you probably choose_______.
A. West Rim—Grand Canyon Tour     
B. Hoover Dam—AM/PM Mini Tour
C. Airplane Tours & Helicopter Tours     
D. Las Vegas to Hollywood 1 Day Tour
2. To take Hoover Dam—AM/PM Mini Tour, how much will a couple and their twin daughters pay?
A. $150.     B. $75.       C. $112.5    D. $37.5
3. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Mather Point is included in the only luxury Motor Coach Tour.
B. Two tours mentioned both involve the Hoover Dam.
C. Lake Mead is a man-made project.
D. Travelers can enjoy plays at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
4. The passage is most probably chosen from________.
A. a newspaper    B. a magazine     C. a TV ad        D. a website

America’s greatest technological achievement, the Hoover Dam, now has a companion piece, a bridge held up by the longest arch in the Western Hemisphere（半球）. The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened this month and connects the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, crosses the vast chasm（峡谷）890 feet above the Colorado River that is controlled by the dam.

The striking 1,900-foot-long structure will improve traffic in the region and help protect the dam from being destroyed. It is the seventh highest bridge in the world, behind four in China, one in Papua New Guinea and one in the US state of Colorado.

“The Hoover Dam is the greatest civil engineering achievement in America’s history,” said the bridge project manager Dave Zanatell. “Our goal was not to outdo or outshine it. Our goal was to, in a respectful way, do something that would be great for our generation and that would stand besides Hoover Dam in a respectful and quality way that would become a part of Hoover’s legacy（遗产）.”

Just as the Hoover Dam was built in the heart of the Great Depression（大萧条）and was seen as an example of the nation’s can-do spirit, some hope this project can also provide some uplift.

The bridge is surprising: at 1,050 feet, its support arch holds up a roadway that lies on 300-foot-long concrete pillars（柱子）, some of the tallest in the world. It contains 16 million pounds of steel.

　　The idea of the bridge came into being in the 1960s because the top of the Hoover Dam has been a narrow two-lane road that is the fastest route from Arizona to Las Vegas and then the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

  　Access to the dam from each direction is a dangerously winding route, but massive trucks and passenger vehicles shared it for decades. During the day, when thousands of tourists travel to the dam from Las Vegas three times as many accidents as on a normal road will happen.

  　The bridge has a sidewalk on the side facing the dam. The wall on both sides is 54 inches high, so walkers can take photos there.

1.Which of the following is true of the Hoover Dam?

   A. It was completed recently.

   B. It was built during the hard times.

   C. It has the longest arch.

   D. It’s the seventh highest dam in the world.

2.What is one of the purposes of building the bridge?

   A. To protect the dam.                                            B. To save the cultures.

   C. To outdo the dam.                                                   D. To develop the tourism.

3.The underlined word “uplift” in Paragraph 4 means _____.

   A. lift of the heavy object                              B. support in money

   C. spiritual encouragement                                   D. instruction in technology

4.Which of the followings shows the right position of the bridge and dam?

5.The text is mainly about ______.

   A. the Hoover Dam                                                 

   B. American western development

   C. a tour along the Colorado River                      

   D. a recently built bridge

第二节：Bill, George, Franklin, Louisa 和 Nana 想今年夏天外出旅游。阅读下面有关六个旅游目的地的介绍（A、B、C、D、E和F），选出适合他们去的地方，并在答题纸上将相应选项的标号涂黑。选项中有一项是多余的。

         Bill: I want to go to visit a country with a relatively short history, where I can not only enjoy fun things but also see some national parks．

         George: I wish I could go to a place with a very long history where I can enjoy warm beaches．At the same time, I can also visit cities well known as romantic ones．

         Franklin: I like hunting and fishing．However, this summer I want to do something for a change．I hope to visit a place with wonderful beaches and also see some ruins left by ancient people．

         Louisa: My purpose of traveling is to meet more friendly people, who are easy to get along with．Meanwhile, I want to enjoy their special music．

         Nana: I have travelled to a lot of inland places．This summer I want to have some adventures on wonderful beaches where I can enjoy a variety of water sports．

A

         Canada is known for great hunting and fishing, as well as major cities such as Toronto and Vancouver．It also has many interesting natural wonders like Niagara Falls．With two major cultures and languages, French and English, Canada offers a unique cultural experience．

B

         The United States has many of the top tourist locations in the world．Visiting the US offers a historical view of a relatively young country．Its youth is marked by fun things to do in cities like Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York where theme parks, museums, and entertainment are the top America tourist attractions．The states in New England offer a good deal of locations that are great to visit if a tourist is looking to learn about US history．The western United States is home to many national parks and natural geologic formations．When looking for a relaxing tropical vacation Hawaii is the destination many Americans choose．

C

         Mexico is an excellent place to visit for the traveler looking to both relax and explore．The country offers fantastic beaches and ancient ruins．The city of Cancun is a major city with both ancient Mayan ruins and a large beach．When looking to learn about history, Mexico is a great place to visit as it has ruins left by several different Native American tribes such as the Aztecs and the Mayans．The various resort hotels of Mexico are a great place for the traveler looking to mix relaxation with exploration．

D

         Greece, Italy, and Spain offer warm beaches and thriving cities for the person looking to relax．The warm beaches and resorts along the Mediterranean are perfect for relaxation and fun．The Romantic cities of Venice and Paris are excellent for tourists looking to go on a romantic getaway．The exciting and historical sites of Vienna and London can be great for the traveler looking to have fun and just do some sightseeing．The colder regions of Norway, Switzerland, and Sweden are great for travelers looking for winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, or relaxing near the fireplace while the snow falls．

E

         The splendid tourist destination of Pattaya in Thailand offers travelers a range of attractions．The Pattaya tourist attractions highlight the rich history and culture of this beautiful beach resort．Travelers will have endless pristine beaches to sunbathe or relax．There are also various types of water activities．Tourists can enjoy the various water sports such as water skiing, scuba diving, windsurfing and snorkeling．Elephant Village has in store for you all the fun you ever dreamed of．You can enjoy thrilling expeditions on elephant back, trekking though the jungle, rafting on the lake, riding on ox cart and enjoying elephant shows．

F

         Rio de Janeiro, the city itself being one of the world’s tourist attractions, is extraordinary．Just taking in the eye candy of a city surrounded in green mountains, covered in Atlantic rainforest, and the samba music on all the happy faces of the cariocas （people born and raised in Rio） is revitalizing! The Brazilian population．They are quite something else．They are curious, open- minded, helpful and smiling people, easy to get into contact with．You can enjoy the most famous beach in the world．

America’s greatest technological achievement, the Hoover Dam, now has a companion piece, a bridge held up by the longest arch in the Western Hemisphere（半球）. The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened this month and connects the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, crosses the vast chasm（峡谷）890 feet above the Colorado River that is controlled by the dam.
The striking 1,900-foot-long structure will improve traffic in the region and help protect the dam from being destroyed. It is the seventh highest bridge in the world, behind four in China, one in Papua New Guinea and one in the US state of Colorado.
“The Hoover Dam is the greatest civil engineering achievement in America’s history,” said the bridge project manager Dave Zanatell. “Our goal was not to outdo or outshine it. Our goal was to, in a respectful way, do something that would be great for our generation and that would stand besides Hoover Dam in a respectful and quality way that would become a part of Hoover’s legacy（遗产）.”
Just as the Hoover Dam was built in the heart of the Great Depression（大萧条）and was seen as an example of the nation’s can-do spirit, some hope this project can also provide some uplift.
The bridge is surprising: at 1,050 feet, its support arch holds up a roadway that lies on 300-foot-long concrete pillars（柱子）, some of the tallest in the world. It contains 16 million pounds of steel.
　　The idea of the bridge came into being in the 1960s because the top of the Hoover Dam has been a narrow two-lane road that is the fastest route from Arizona to Las Vegas and then the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
　Access to the dam from each direction is a dangerously winding route, but massive trucks and passenger vehicles shared it for decades. During the day, when thousands of tourists travel to the dam from Las Vegas three times as many accidents as on a normal road will happen.
　The bridge has a sidewalk on the side facing the dam. The wall on both sides is 54 inches high, so walkers can take photos there.
【小题1】Which of the following is true of the Hoover Dam?