A group of 1,309 passengers boarded the MS Balmoral on Sunday, in Southampton, England, on a voyage to retrace (重走) the path of the Titanic. The Titanic was the biggest ship in the world when it sailed on its ill-fated first voyage on April 10, 1912. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew aboard, more than l,500 died. The ship, which was headed for New York City, carried the rich and famous on its first voyage. It also carried immigrants who were seeking a better life in America.

Relatives of people who sailed on the Titanic, historians, authors and people fascinated by the story of the unsinkable ship were on the Balmoral. They wanted to remember the Titanic and those who died on her first and last voyage.

The Balmoral was following Titanic’s original route from Southampton. First, the modern-day cruise liner docked (进港) in the port of Cherbourg, France, where the Titanic had picked up more passengers. On Monday afternoon, the Balmoral stopped in Cobh, Ireland, the Titanic’s last port of call before sailing to New York.

The Balmoral then sailed the North Atlantic Ocean to the location where the Titanic hit an iceberg. On Sunday, April 15, at 2:20 a.m. — the time the Titanic went down － passengers and crew held a memorial service. The next two days were spent in Halifax, Canada, where many victims of the Titanic are buried. Then, the Balmoral reached its final destination in New York City, where the Titanic was supposed to dock — but never did.

So far, several teams of divers have explored the site. They have recovered items such as dishes and silverware and put them on public display. And the Titanic and its passengers and crew have been remembered in books, movies and TV programs. But there’s a much more important contribution that the Titanic has given us. After she sank, lawmakers and ship builders made ships safer. It took a terrible tragedy to make ship travel safer for all.

1.We learn from the first paragraph that _____.

A．the Titanic sank on its second voyage

B．about 700 passengers of the Titanic survived

C．less than 2,000 passengers boarded the Titanic

D．all the passengers’ hopes of the Titanic lay in America

2.Which of the following shows the correct route of the Balmoral?

a. Halifax  b. New York City   c. Cobh   d. Southampton e. Cherbourg

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

3.What might be the most important contribution of the Titanic?

A．Its site attracts many exploration teams.      B．It has made later ships more secure.

C．Some of its items are on public display.       D．More trips are planned to its site.

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

A．The unsinkable ship                     B．The Titanic today

C．The Titanic’s route                     D．Sailing through history

Muhammad Yunus and the bank he founded are honored for their work to help the word’s poor. Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank he founded were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. They won the award for their efforts to help bring millions of people, especially women, out of poverty.

“Every single individual on earth has both the potential and the right to live a decent life. Across cultures and civilizations, Yunus and Grameen Bank have shown that even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development,” the Nobel Committee said in its citation.

The Peace Prize is one of the biggest honors in the world. Yunus is the first Nobel Prize winner from Bangladesh, a nation of about 141 million people. In 1983, Yunus and the Grameen Bank started a now worldwide system that lets people borrow small amounts of money to start business. Through these loans, called “micro-credit”, the world’s poor have been able to buy much needed to run an egg business, or a cell phone in places where there is on other access to a phone.

Yunus said he would use part of the $1.4 million award money to create a company that will make low-cost, high-nutrition food for the poor. The rest of his share will go toward setting up an eye hospital for the poor in Bangladesh. ”I’m so, so happy, it’s really great news for the whole nation,” Yunus said after hearing of his win.

Since the bank began, it has lent $5.72 billion to more than 6 million Bangladeshis. About 97% of the borrowers are women.

Why does Nobel Peace Prize come to Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank?

A．Because they helped the rich become richer.

B．Because they helped children to finish their education.

C．Because they helped millions of people, especially women, out of poverty.

D．Because they helped millions of people, especially men, out of poverty.

What value have Yunus and Grameen Bank demonstrated to use  according to the Nobel Committee’s praise?

   A. Poor people have no right to live a rich life

   B. Poor people can live a happier life by borrowing money from moneylenders.

   C. The poorest of the poor can also have a happier life by working hard.

D. The poor people can only have a right to live a poor life.

It can be inferred that micro-credit system ____.

   A. has made all the people in Bangladesh start their own business

   B. has a history of about 23 years

   C. only loaned money to the people of Bangladesh

   D. has spread all over the world for thirty years

It can be inferred that the average amount of micro-credit might be ____.

   A. 140 dollars   B. 95 dollars

   C. 970 dollars   D. 572 dollars

Hans was an honest fellow with a funny round good-humored face. Living alone, every day he worked in his garden. In all the countryside there was no garden so lovely as his. All sorts of flowers grew there, blooming in their proper order as the months went by, one flower taking another flower’s place, so that there were always beautiful things to see, and pleasant odors to smell.

Hans had many friends, the most devoted being the Miller. So devoted was the rich Miller to Hans that he’d never go by his garden without plucking a large bunch of flowers or a handful of sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with fruits. The Miller used to talk about noble ideas, and Hans nodded and smiled, feeling proud of having such a friend.

The neighbors thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave Hans anything in return, though he had hundreds of sacks of flour, many cows and sheep, but Hans never troubled his head about these, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful things about the unselfishness of true friendship.

In spring, summer, and autumn Hans was very happy, but when winter came, and he had no fruit or flowers to sell, he suffered from cold and hunger. Though extremely lonely, the Miller never came to see him then.

“There’s no good in going to see Hans while the snow lasts.” The Miller said to his wife, “When people are in trouble they shouldn’t be bothered. So I’ll wait till the spring comes when he’s happy to give me flowers.”

“You’re certainly very thoughtful,” answered his wife, “It’s quite a treat to hear you talk about friendship.”

“Couldn’t we ask Hans up here?” said their son. “I’ll give him half my meal, and show him my white rabbits.”

“How silly you are!” cried the Miller. “I really don’t know what’s the use of sending you to school. If Hans came up here, and saw our warm fire, our good supper, and our red wine, he might get envious, and envy is a most terrible thing, and would spoil anybody’s nature. I am his best friend, and I’ll always watch over him, and see that he’s not led into any temptation. Besides, if Hans came here, he might ask me for some flour. Flour is one thing, and friendship is another, and they shouldn’t be confused. The words are spelt differently, and mean quite different things. Everybody can see that.” He looked seriously at his son, who felt so ashamed that he hung his head down, and grew quite scared, and began to cry into his tea.

Spring coming, the Miller went down to see Hans. Again he talked about friendship. “Hans, friendship never forgets. I’m afraid you don’t understand the poetry of life. See, how lovely your roses are!”

Hans said he wanted to sell them in the market to buy back his things which were sold during the hard time of the winter.

“I’ll give you many good things. I think being generous is the base of friendship.” said the Miller. “And now, as I’ll give you many good things, I’m sure you’d like to give me some flowers in return. Here’s the basket, and fill it quite full.”

Poor Hans was afraid to say anything. He ran and plucked all his pretty roses, and filled the Miller’s basket, imagining the many good things promised by the Miller.

The next day he heard the Miller calling: “Hans, would you mind carrying this sack of flour for me to market?”

“I’m sorry, but I am really very busy today.”

“Well,” said the Miller, “considering that I’m going to give you my things, it’s rather unfriendly of you to refuse. Upon my word, you mustn’t mind my speaking quite plainly to you.”

Poor Hans was driven by his friendship theory to work hard for his best friend, leaving his garden dry and wasted.

One evening Hans was sitting by fire when the Miller came.

“Hans,” cried the Miller, “My little boy has fallen off a ladder and hurt himself, and I’m going for the Doctor. But he lives so far away, and it’s such a bad windy night. It has just occurred to me that you can go instead of me. You know I’m going to give you my good things, so you should do something for me in return.”

“Certainly,” cried Hans. He struggled into the stormy night, and got the doctor to ride a horse to the Miller’s house in time to save the boy. However, Hans got lost in the darkness, and wandered off into a deep pool, drowned.

At Hans’ funeral, the Miller said, “I was his best friend. I should walk at the head of the procession.” Every now and then he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.

1.From the passage, we can learn that Hans ___________.

A．was extremely wise and noble

B．was highly valued by the Miller

C．admired the Miller very much

D．had a strong desire for fortune

2.“Flour is one thing, and friendship is another” can be understood as ___________.

A．“Different words may mean quite different things.”

B．“Interest is long-lasting while friendship is flexible.”

C．“I’m afraid you don’t understand the poetry of life.”

D．“I think being generous is the base of friendship.”

3.From the Miller’s talk at home, we can see he was ___________.

A．serious but kind

B．helpful and generous

C．caring but strict

D．selfish and cold-hearted

4.What’s the main cause of Hans’ tragedy?

A．True friendship between them.

B．A lack of formal education.

C．A sudden change of weather.

D．Blind devotion to a friend.

5.The author described the Miller’s behavior in order to ___________.

A．entertain the readers with an incredible joking tale

B．show the friendship between Hans and the Miller

C．warn the readers about the danger of a false friend

D．persuade people to be as intelligent as the Miller

Hans was an honest fellow with a funny round good-humored face. Living alone, every day he worked in his garden. In all the countryside there was no garden so lovely as his. All sorts of flowers grew there, blooming in their proper order as the months went by, one flower taking another flower’s place, so that there were always beautiful things to see, and pleasant odors to smell.

    Hans had many friends, the most devoted being the Miller. So devoted was the rich Miller to Hans that he’d never go by his garden without plucking a large bunch of flowers or a handful of sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with fruits. The Miller used to talk about noble ideas, and Hans nodded and smiled, feeling proud of having such a friend.

    The neighbors thought it strange that the rich Miller never gave Hans anything in return, though he had hundreds of sacks of flour, many cows and sheep, but Hans never troubled his head about these, and nothing gave him greater pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful things about the unselfishness of true friendship.

    In spring, summer, and autumn Hans was very happy, but when winter came, and he had no fruit or flowers to sell, he suffered from cold and hunger. Though extremely lonely, the Miller never came to see him then.

A group of 1,309 passengers boarded the MS Balmoral on Sunday, in Southampton, England, on a voyage to retrace (重走) the path of the Titanic. The Titanic was the biggest ship in the world when it sailed on its ill-fated first voyage on April 10, 1912. Of the 2,227 passengers and crew aboard, more than l,500 died. The ship, which was headed for New York City, carried the rich and famous on its first voyage. It also carried immigrants who were seeking a better life in America.
Relatives of people who sailed on the Titanic, historians, authors and people fascinated by the story of the unsinkable ship were on the Balmoral. They wanted to remember the Titanic and those who died on her first and last voyage.
The Balmoral was following Titanic’s original route from Southampton. First, the modern-day cruise liner docked (进港) in the port of Cherbourg, France, where the Titanic had picked up more passengers. On Monday afternoon, the Balmoral stopped in Cobh, Ireland, the Titanic’s last port of call before sailing to New York.
The Balmoral then sailed the North Atlantic Ocean to the location where the Titanic hit an iceberg. On Sunday, April 15, at 2:20 a.m. — the time the Titanic went down － passengers and crew held a memorial service. The next two days were spent in Halifax, Canada, where many victims of the Titanic are buried. Then, the Balmoral reached its final destination in New York City, where the Titanic was supposed to dock — but never did.
So far, several teams of divers have explored the site. They have recovered items such as dishes and silverware and put them on public display. And the Titanic and its passengers and crew have been remembered in books, movies and TV programs. But there’s a much more important contribution that the Titanic has given us. After she sank, lawmakers and ship builders made ships safer. It took a terrible tragedy to make ship travel safer for all.
【小题1】We learn from the first paragraph that _____.