Passage 16

　　Do you have bright ideas? Ideas or inventions that change society or, at least, make life easier for somebody? Perhaps we all do sometimes, but we don’t often make the idea reality. Recently, in Britain, there was a competition called British Designers for Tomorrow. The competition encourages young people to carry out their bright ideas. There were two groups in the contest; Group One was for school-childrenunder16; Group Two was for school-children over 16. And there were eleven prize-winners altogether.

　　Neil Hunt, one of the prize-winners, was called “Sunshine Superman (超人) ”. It’s important when people study the weather to be able to record sunshine accurately. We need to know how many hours of sunshine we have and how strong it is. Most sunshine recorders only record direct sunlight. Neil’s is more accurate (精确的) and this is very important for research into the way of using solar (太阳的) power.

　　You can do so much with animated (活泼的) cartoon. Look at Simon West’s idea for animated road signs. He uses pictures which appear to move as you go nearer to or farther from them. This isn’t a new idea. But it is new to use these pictures on road signs. “We found that people were more likely to see moving signs, ”said Simon. So now, you can really see rocks falling, trains moving, horses running or a car falling over the edge of a cliff (悬崖).Quite a warning!

　　The ideas in the competition were so inventive that we are surprised that British industry doesn’t ask more school-children for suggestions. Perhaps this will be the start of “pupil power”!

　　1. The writer holds that people seldom______.

　　A. have bright ideas

　　B. turn their bright ideas into reality

　　C. make their life easier

　　D. think of inventing something

　　2. The organizers of the competition hoped the school-children who took part in it would_____.

　　A. become good designers for future Britain

　　B. invent something for immediate use

　　C. design something useful for the next day

　　D. win as many prizes as they could

　　3. What’s the use of Simon West’s animated road signs?

　　A. To warn people to be careful while working.

　　B. To warn people on the roads of the danger ahead.

　　C. To add to the beauty of a city.

　　D. To help make a car trip more exciting.

　　4. The writer seems to be encouraging the British industry to____.

　　A. take better care of school-children

　　B. help school-children in their studies

　　C. stop asking school-children for suggestions

　　D. pay more attention to school-children’s inventive power

　　答案与分析

　　Bright ideas对发明来说是如此重要，很多科学家的发明来自于此。相信读了本文后你对发明的神秘感有所减少。

　　1. B细节题。从Perhaps we all do (have bright ideas),but we don’t often make the idea reality得此答案。

　　2. A推断题。Recently, in Britain, there was a competition called British Designers for tomorrow.从给这次竞赛起的名字看， 本次竞赛的目的是让更多的学生成为英国未来的设计者。

　　3. B细节题。从第三段So now, you can really see rocks falling, trains moving, horses running or a car falling over the edge of a cliff (悬崖).Quite a warning得此答案。

　　4. D作者意图推断题。从最后一段Perhaps this will be the start of “pupil power”!我们可以得此答案。

　　Passage 17

　　We welcome you aboard the Finnair Flight and will do our best to make your trip comfortable and enjoyable.

　　For your safety and convenience

　　To begin the trip, we would like to draw your attention to some safety-related details. These are also explained on the instruction card in the seat pocket in front of you. Seat belts must remain fastened while the “Fasten seatbelts” sign is on. It is advisable to keep them fastened at all times while seated. All flights are non-smoking. The use of mobile telephones is now allowed when the airplane is on the ground and “the fasten seatbelts” sign is turned off. During the flight the use of CD and DVD players is not allowed.

　　For your entertainment

　　To help you enjoy your trip, we provide a range of newspapers on international flights. On our MID-1l and Boeing aircraft, we are also pleased to provide music and video programs. On Airbus A321/320/319, aircraft route maps and short videos are shown. Details of entertainment programs available on MD-11 aircraft are shown on the separate “On the Air” brochure located in your seat pocket.

　　For your children

　　Special reading material is provided for children and on longer flights there are also audio and video programs for them. On long-distance flights, first-time flyers between the ages of 2 and 15 can join our Finnair Junior Plus Club.

　　Meals and drinks

　　During most flights we serve you a tasty meal with drinks to accompany it. Beer, wine and other drinks are served free of charge. Coffee, tea and juice are served free of charge on all domestic flights of over 35 minutes. On domestic flights leaving before nine and on all flights to northern Finland; a snack is served. We value your opinion. In this magazine you’ll find a special form for your comments about our service. Kindly return the form to our crew or any Finnair office. It will be forwarded directly to the appropriate department. You can also fax it (+ 358-(0)89819-7729) or send your comments by e-mail to feedback @ tinnier.com. Our crew is pleased to answer your questions during the flight whenever possible.

　　1.Which of the following statement is NOT true?

　　A. During the flight you have to keep your seat belt fastened all the time.

　　B. When taking Airbus 321/320/319, you may know where you are through an aircraft route map.

　　C. During the flight you may listen to music or watch video.

　　D. During the flight you may have some coffee or tea or juice for free.

　　2. The purpose of the passage is to________.

　　A. teach the passengers how to use the seat belts

　　B. tell the passengers what kind of entertainment they can enjoy during their flight

　　C. encourage the passengers to give comments on the service

　　D. introduce the good service of the Finnair and attract more passengers

　　3. You may find this passage in________.

　　A. a newspaper　B. a book C. a magazine　D. an official document

　　答案与分析

　　本文是通知阅读。全文讲述了在乘坐the Finnair Flight过程中应该注意的几个问题。

　　1. A 细节理解题。从Seat belts must remain fastened while the “Fasten seatbelts” sign is on. It is advisable to keep them fastened at all times while seated我们看出在“Fasten seatbelts”信号量时，必须系安全带，而其他时间是建议使用安全带，而不是非用不可。

　　2. D 作者意图推断题。通读全文我们可以看出除介绍应注意的几个事项外，全文主要介绍自己优质的服务，目的是吸引顾客。

　　3. C 细节题。从In this magazine you’ll find a special form for your comments about our service我们可以得此答案

　　Passage 18

　　Wind, water, fire and ice -- these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today.

　　The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon (大峡谷).

　　Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers (冰川) are still on the move in Alaska.

　　Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals: This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988.

　　Dead volcanic (火山) mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18,1980.At 8: 32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off.

　　Over 60 people -- campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers -- were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash.

　　Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt (爆发) soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R.Truman,84 ,owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous.

　　But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now it is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests.

　　But slowly; life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature’s pattern of change, and man has little power to control it.

　　1. Choose the best title for this passage.

　　A. Wind, water, fire and ice. B. Volcano’s beauty and danger.

　　C. The power of nature. D. Natural force shapes beautiful land of America

　　2. After the eruption of volcano, what makes the sky turn dark?

　　A. The smoke B. The clouds C. The fog D. The ash

　　3. The underlined word “it” means___.

　　A. the body of old Harry B. the location (=place) of Harry’s home

　　C. the opening on top of Mt St Helens

　　D. the place where Harry probably died

　　4. We can infer from this article that____.

　　A. Washington and Oregon are neighboring states.

　　B. Colorado River runs through Yosemite Valley.

　　C. The eruption of Mt St Helens also caused trouble with the Yellowstone Park.

　　D. Scientists never knew Mt St Helens was active.

　　答案与分析：

　　一个国家、一个地区地形的形成是一个漫长的过程，在这个过程中风、水、火、冰等对地貌的形成起了重要的作用。本文以美国的the Grand Canyon为例说明了大自然的力量。

　　1. C主旨大意题。作者在此想通过the Grand Canyon的形成过程告诉我们自然的力量。

　　2. D细节题。从An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours得此答案。

　　3. B 词义理解题。But Harry Truman would not leave his home, 接下来文章说Now it is covered with many feet of dirty ash, 因此it 在这里指Harry’s home。

　　4. A 推断题, 当华盛顿州的圣劳伦斯火山爆发时，Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash, 由此我们推断Washington, Oregon 以及Idaho是三个相邻的州。

　　Passage 19

　　Fashion is moving into the twenty-first century. A coat that change colour with the weather, shirt stripes (条纹) which disappear while you are wearing it, an odor (气味) free blouse that can be worn for days and days …These are not sci-fi fantasies (幻想), but the most recent developments in the fashion world, made possible by advances in fibre technology.

　　Jackets by Stone Island change color in warm weather and cost between $ 400 and $500 . Peter Siddell, a store buyer says, “There isn’t much more designers can do with cloths. They need to make new fabrics to keep fashion interesting.”

　　Massino Osti is the man who has brought these unusual fabrics to the shops. Another Osti invention is the sweatshirt which has a logo (标志) on the chest which disappears when you breathe on it. Now there is a range of temperature-sensitive leisurewear for golfers who like to practise in all weathers. As golfers leave the warm club-house, their sweaters change from white to a rainbow of colours.

　　Unika ,a Japanese firm, has developed a synthetic (合成的) fibre called Thermotron which changes sunlight into thermal energy and keeps the wearer up to 10°C warmer than ordinary fibres. One ski-wear fabric turns black to absorb sunlight when the temperature drops to below zero, and changes to white above 5°C to reflect the sun.

　　Tights producers in the Far East and Europe have sold many tights which have been contained with fragrances (香味) and insect repellent (驱虫药) . A department store in Britain reports good sales for magnolia-fragranced tights. The fragrance lasts up to three hand-washes.

　　1. When the writer says “Fashions is moving into the twenty first century” , he means ____

　　A. many new types of clothes have been made

　　B. fashionable clothes are being sold well

　　C. designers have made great progress

　　D. fashion in clothes world is developing fast

　　2. If clothes designers want to keep up with fashion, they must have ____.

　　A. new fashioned fabrics B. fibre technology

　　C. a Japanese synthetic fibre D. temperature knowledge

　　3. According to the text, ____ are the main changes in fashionable clothes.

　　A. colour, model, temperature B. colour, smell, temperature

　　C. price, colour, temperature D. price, smell, model

　　4. Which of the following best describes the speciality of one ski-wear fabric?

　　A. It gives off fragrance. B. It changes colour with the temperature.

　　C. Its colour disappears when you breathe on it.

　　D. It changes sunlight into thermal energy.

　　答案与分析

　　时尚的发展超乎人们的想象，过去幻想的东西现在成了时装界的现实。本文主要讲述了在时装设计上人们所使用的材料与技术。

　　1. D 作者意图推断题。从最后一句These are not sci-fi fantasies (幻想), but the most recent developments in the fashion world, made possible by advances in fibre technology我们得知作者认为“时装发展迅速”。

　　2. A 主旨大意题。本文谈论的主要内容是时装的新材料，纤维技术的发展使得时装的发展成为可能。

　　3. B 细节题。在短文的第一段的A coat that change colour with the weather, shirt stripes (条纹) which disappear while you are wearing it, an odor (气味) free blouse that can be worn for days and days…可知，时装的变化主要在颜色、气味和温度方面。

　　4. D细节题。本文第四段Unika, a Japanese firm, has developed a synthetic (合成的) fibre called Thermotron which changes sunlight into thermal energy and keeps the wearer up to 10°C warmer than ordinary fibres.可告诉此答案。

　　Passage 20

　　The view over a valley of a tiny village with thatched (草盖的) roof cottages around a church; a drive through a narrow village street lined with thatched cottages painted pink or white; the sight over the rolling hills of a pretty collection of thatched farm buildings —these are still common sights in parts of England. Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential (基本的) part of the attraction of the English countryside.

　　Thatching is in fact the oldest of all the building crafts practiced in the British Isles (不列颠诸岛) . Although thatch has always been used for cottage and farm buildings, it was once used for castles and churches, too.

　　Thatching is a solitary (独自的) craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practiced today has changed very little since the Middle Ages. Over 800 full-time hatchers are employed in England and Wales today, maintaining and renewing the old roofs as well as thatching newer houses. Many property owners choose thatch not only for its beauty but because they know it will keep them cool in summer and warm in winter.

　　In fact, if we look at developing countries, over half the world live under thatch, but they all do it in different ways. People in developing countries are often reluctant (勉强的) to go back to traditional materials and would prefer modern buildings. However, they may lack the money to allow them to import the necessary materials. Their temporary mud huts with thatched roofs of wild grasses often only last six months. Thatch which had been done in the British way lasts from twenty to sixty years, and is an effective defence against the heat.

　　1. Which of the following remains a unique (唯一的) feature of the English countryside?

　　A. Narrow streets lined with pink or white houses.

　　B. Rolling hills with pretty farm buildings.

　　C. Cottages with thatched roofs.

　　D. Churches with cottages around them.

　　2. What do we know about thatching as a craft?

　　A. It is a collective activity. B. It is practiced on farms all over England

　　C. It is quite different from what it used to be.

　　D. It is in most cases handed down among family members.

　　3. People in the developing countries also live under thatch because ____.

　　A. thatched cottages are a big tourist attraction

　　B. thatched roof houses are the cheapest

　　C. thatch is an effective defence against the heat

　　D. they like thatched houses better than other buildings

　　4. We can learn from the passage that ____.

　　A. thatched cottages in England have been passed down from ancient times

　　B. thatching is a building craft first created by the English people

　　C. the English people have a special liking for the thatched houses

　　D. most thatched cottages in England are located on hillside

　　答案与分析：

　　全文讲述的是英国的草屋的一些情况。

　　1. C从第一段最后一句Most people will agree that the thatched roof is an essential (基本的) part of the attraction of the English countryside.可得此答案。

　　2. D 细节题。第三段Thatching is a solitary craft, which often runs in families.可告诉此答案。

　　3. B 根据第4段可知，发展中国家也有人居住在草屋里，是因为他们没有钱建更好的房子。

　　4. A 推理判断题。根据第三段第1，2句Thatching is a solitary craft, which often runs in families. The craft of thatching as it is practiced today has changed very little since the Middle Ages.得此答案。