More than 12 300 people were killed and tens of thousands left homeless after a powerful undersea earthquake unleashed giant tsunami waves that crashed into the coasts of south and southeast Asia.

The 8.9 magnitude earthquake that struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra early on Sunday was the biggest in 40 years.It triggered waves that reared up into walls of water as high as 10 meters(30 feet) as they hit coastlines in Indonesia,Sri Lanka,India and Thailand.

Aid agencies rushed staff,equipment and money to the region,warning that bodies rotting in the water were already beginning to threaten the water supply for survivors.

Rescue workers also spoke of bodies still caught up on trees after being flung inland by the waves.

“I just couldn’t believe what was happening before my eyes,”Boree Carlson said from a hotel in the Thai resort of Phuket.

“As I was standing there,a car actually floated into the lobby and overturned because the current was so strong,”said the 45-year-old Swede.

“I heard an eerie sound that I have never heard before.It was a high pitched sound followed by a deafening roar,”said a 55-year-old Indian fisherman who gave his name as Chellappa.

“I told everyone to run for their life.”

In Indonesia,an archipelago of 17 000 islands,one official said nearly 4500 people had died.The worst affected area was Bands Aceh,the capital of Aceh Province,where 3000 were killed.More than 200 prisoners escaped from a jail when the tsunami knocked down its walls.In Sri Lanka（斯里兰卡）,the death toll also reached 4500 and 1 million people,or 5 percent of its population,were affected.It was the worst natural disaster to hit Sri Lanka.Hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans sheltered in schools and temples overnight,and officials expected the death toll to rise further once rescuers resumed searches after daybreak.In southern India,where at least 3000 were estimated to have died,beaches were littered with submerged cars and wrecked boats.Shanties on the coast were under water.

Thai government officials said at least 392 bodies had been retrieved and they expected the final toll to approach 1000.

The earthquake,of magnitude 8.9 as measured by the U.S. Geological Survery (news-web sites),struck at 7:59 a.m.(1959EST).It was the world’s biggest since 1964,said Julie Martinez at the USGS(news-web sites).

The tsunami was so powerful it smashed boast and flooded areas along the east African coast,3728 miles away.

What does the underlined word “tsunami” probably mean?

A.Tidal wave.                                                  B.Wave.

C.Earthquake.                                                  D.A man who kills many persons.

What does the passage mainly talk about？

A.Asian tsunami kills many people,and many more become homeless.

B.An earthquake happens.

C.The tsunami was so powerful that it smashed boats and people.

D.It was the biggest earthquake in 40 years.

The sea waves hit coastlines in _________.

A.Indonesia                         B.Sri Lanka           C.India and Thailand     D.All of above

London--A morning train rides away, across the channel. English kids discuss the Liverpool's football team in a Paris pub.

Some Parisians have started to travel to work in London.

In the 19th century, Charles Dickens compared the two cities, London and Paris, in A Tale of Two Cities. These days, it might be A tale of One City.

As there are few jobs at home over recent years, perhaps 250,000 Frenchmen moved across the channel. With an undersea tunnel, they could travel between cities in three hours. The European Union freed them from immigration and customs.

Paris, rich in beauty, is more stylish. But London feels more full of life, and more fun until the pubs shut down.

“For me, the difference is that London is real, alive,” said Trevor Wheeler, a financial expert.

Chantal Jaouen, a professional designer, agrees. “I am French, but I’ll stay in London,” she said.

There is, of course, the other view. Julie Lenoux is a student who moved to London two years ago. “I think people laugh more in Paris,” she said.

“Both cities have changed beyond recognition,” said Larry Collins, an author and sometimes a Londoner. Like most people who know both cities well, he finds the two now fit together comfortably. “I first fell in love with Paris in the 1950s. Things are so much more ordered, and life is better.”

But certainly not cheaper. In some parts of London, rents can be twice those on Avenue Foch in Paris.

Deciding between London and Paris requires a lifestyle choice. Like Daphne Benoit, a French journalism student with perfect English, many young people are happy to be close enough so they don’t have to choose. “I love Paris, my little neighborhood, the way I can walk around a centre, but life is too organized,” she said. “In London, you can be whoever you want. No one cares.”

It can be inferred that ___________.

A．Paris and London are the two biggest cities in the world

B．In the 19th century, Dickens told his stories in the two cities

C．London and Paris used to be separated

D．Liverpool is a big city in France

According to this passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．People feel it difficult to find a job in Paris.

B．People can't travel to London without a passport.

C．Living in France is more expensive than in London.

D．People can find any job in London.

The underlined phrase in Para 9 most probably means “_____________”

A. beyond one’s imagination

B. so much that people don’t know them well again

C. so little that people still know them well

D. to people’s satisfaction

What’s the meaning of the last two sentences?

A．People can do everything in London.

B．People will feel lonely in London.

C．People in London enjoy living in different ways.

D．People in London enjoy a lawless life.

In the tour book below, four countries are missing. Try to identify them.

The combination of travel and volcanoes has not mixed well in recent times. Many thousands of holiday makers were left stranded in 2010 after the eruption of an Icelandic volcano created a dust cloud which covered much of mainland Europe and severely interrupted air travel. For some, though, volcanoes and travel are a combination made in heaven, with increasing numbers of enthusiasts booking specific excursions to visit volcanoes around the world.

So before you start digging out your passport, changing up your travel money and renewing your travel insurance, take a look at this list of the top 5 volcano travel break destinations and see what takes your fancy.

Italy

Italy is home to three active volcanoes, the largest of which is Mount Etna, situated on the east coast of the Italian island of Sicily. Etna is one of the ‘liveliest’ volcanoes on the planet and is almost constantly active – making it one of the best places in Europe to observe smoking craters and volcanic activity first hand. While in Italy you may also want to consider a trip to Pompeii, the ruins of a city decimated by the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano and an impressive reminder of the true power that volcanoes hold.

_1__

Situated on the boundary of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, it is an island whose very creation is a result of many undersea volcanic eruptions. Pay a visit to the beautiful landscape of its highlands and you can expect to see geysers, awe-inspiring glaciers and lava deserts alongside a selection of active volcanoes. You may also want to visit the site of the volcano that caused more pronunciation problems for newsreaders during the ash cloud crisis of 2010 than possibly any other name ever – Eyjafjallajokull.

_2__

The mountainous Kamchatka region, located in Far East, is home to an incredible landscape of volcanoes and volcanic activity. One of the standout volcanoes of the region is the Mutnovsky Volcano, a combination of many merged craters that spew forth great jets of superheated water and plumes of sulphurous smoke.  

_3____

It is a group of islands said to have been ‘created by fire’ – formed after massive undersea volcanic activity in the Pacific. Quite apart from its reputation as a paradise island, which makes it a popular destination for many, it is undoubtedly a Mecca for volcano lovers. The Kilauea volcano on the Big Island is the most active volcano on the planet and – conditions permitting – you will be able to visit one of Kilauea’s active lava streams as it pours dramatically into the sea.

_4___

Sitting on the border of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the Central American country is another beautiful place that has many areas of volcanic interest for you to discover. Hikes to see the volcanoes here will take you from jungle to peak, through some of the country’s magnificent national parks. There, you can visit landmarks such as the Irazu Volcano and its stunning green lake.

In the tour book below, four countries are missing. Try to identify them.

The combination of travel and volcanoes has not mixed well in recent times. Many thousands of holiday makers were left stranded in 2010 after the eruption of an Icelandic volcano created a dust cloud which covered much of mainland Europe and severely interrupted air travel. For some, though, volcanoes and travel are a combination made in heaven, with increasing numbers of enthusiasts booking specific excursions to visit volcanoes around the world.
So before you start digging out your passport, changing up your travel money and renewing your travel insurance, take a look at this list of the top 5 volcano travel break destinations and see what takes your fancy.
Italy
Italy is home to three active volcanoes, the largest of which is Mount Etna, situated on the east coast of the Italian island of Sicily. Etna is one of the ‘liveliest’ volcanoes on the planet and is almost constantly active – making it one of the best places in Europe to observe smoking craters and volcanic activity first hand. While in Italy you may also want to consider a trip to Pompeii, the ruins of a city decimated by the eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano and an impressive reminder of the true power that volcanoes hold.
_1__
Situated on the boundary of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, it is an island whose very creation is a result of many undersea volcanic eruptions. Pay a visit to the beautiful landscape of its highlands and you can expect to see geysers, awe-inspiring glaciers and lava deserts alongside a selection of active volcanoes. You may also want to visit the site of the volcano that caused more pronunciation problems for newsreaders during the ash cloud crisis of 2010 than possibly any other name ever – Eyjafjallajokull.
_2__
The mountainous Kamchatka region, located in Far East, is home to an incredible landscape of volcanoes and volcanic activity. One of the standout volcanoes of the region is the Mutnovsky Volcano, a combination of many merged craters that spew forth great jets of superheated water and plumes of sulphurous smoke.  
_3____
It is a group of islands said to have been ‘created by fire’ – formed after massive undersea volcanic activity in the Pacific. Quite apart from its reputation as a paradise island, which makes it a popular destination for many, it is undoubtedly a Mecca for volcano lovers. The Kilauea volcano on the Big Island is the most active volcano on the planet and – conditions permitting – you will be able to visit one of Kilauea’s active lava streams as it pours dramatically into the sea.
_4___
Sitting on the border of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the Central American country is another beautiful place that has many areas of volcanic interest for you to discover. Hikes to see the volcanoes here will take you from jungle to peak, through some of the country’s magnificent national parks. There, you can visit landmarks such as the Irazu Volcano and its stunning green lake.

A team of researchers recently created a robot that can repair itself. The newly designed machine can sense injury to itself and adapt. That ability sets the new robot apart from earlier machines. Because the robot can recover from unexpected damage, it may be especially useful in exploring unfamiliar places. “There is a need for planetary robotic rovers(流浪者) to be able to fix things on their own,” says Josh Bongard, one of the device’s creators. “Robots on other planets must be able to continue their mission without human help if they are damaged and cannot communicate their problem back to Earth.”
A typical robot functions according to a computer program, but the new robot works differently. First, sensors in its four legs observe the robot’s movements and signals to its built-in computer. From the information it collects, the robot creates its own programs that allow it to adapt to different situations. For example, when the researchers shortened one of the robot’s legs, the smart machine simply adjusted its way of walking—it used three legs instead of four.
The researchers are looking for other places to put the resilient(迅速恢复) robot to work. One possible spot is the ocean floor. That dark and dangerous undersea terrain(地带) might be a good choice for a robot the scientists call the Starfish. “We never officially named the robot, but we usually refer to it as the Starfish, even though a real starfish has five rather than four legs,” says Bongard. “Also, a real starfish is much better than our robot at recovering from injury, because it can actually regrow its legs.” Scientists have created robots that help humans in many ways: by exploring space, fighting fires, and even performing surgery.
1. The newly designed robot is different from the former ones because it ___________.
A. can communicate with people on the earth about their problems
B. works according to a certain computer program
C. can find problems itself and get used to the new environment
D. can explore unfamiliar places
2. An example is given in the second paragraph in order to explain that the new robot ___________.
A. is used to create new programs                        B. has typical robot functions
C. has sensors to observe its movements              D. can adapt to new conditions
3. What might be the best title of the passage?
A. How does the Starfish Robot work                B. Do-It-Yourself Robot Repair
C. Robots Designed to Work On Other Planets    D. New Robot Helping Us In Many Ways
4. Which of the following is True about the Starfish?
A. It has more than four legs.                               B. It hasn’t been officially named.      
C. It can regrow its legs quickly.                    D. It has started to work on the ocean floor.