Yousuf and his family left their home in eastern Afghanistan eight years ago. They went to the city of Kabul to escape war, but they could not escape sadness. Five of Yousuf's children died in the Afghan capital, not from violence, but from air pollution.
Kabul has become one of the most polluted cities in the world. On many days, a mix of smog and smoke lies over the city. In some cases, families burn whatever they can to keep warm in cold weather. The air in their own homes then poisons them. Many years of war have worsened the damage to Afghanistan's environment. At the local Children's Hospital, doctors say they have seen the number of patients with pollution-related health problems increase. Saifullah Abassin, a doctor at the hospital, says his hospital ward(病房) can hold 10 patients but often has three times that number.
“Thirty years ago, it was a wish for people to come to Kabul and breathe its air,” said Ezatullah Sediqi, deputy director for the National Environmental Protection Agency. “But in the wars since, we lost all our urban infrastructure(基础设施) for water, electricity, public transportation, green areas, all these things.”
Kabul's environmental department has started a program to control old vehicles, one major source of pollution. City officials have called on people to use fuel instead of burning garbage for heat. But there are other steps officials need to take, such as passing a plan to stop unplanned development and creating more green spaces.
1.What made Yousuf and his family leave their home?
A.War. B.Sadness. C.Violence. D.Air pollution.
2.What is NOT the cause of Afghanistan's environment problem?
A.Burning garage. B.Creating green spaces.
C.Using old vehicles. D.Losing urban infrastructure.
3.In which part of the newspaper may this text appear?
A.Education. B.Environment. C.Science. D.Culture.
A nine-year-old child will become the youngest ever person to complete a university degree.
This December, Laurent Simons will gain his electrical engineering bachelor's degree (学士学位) from Eindhoven University of Technology, a challenging course even for 18-year-olds. It has taken Laurent only 9 months to complete what should be a four-year course. Laurent's teacher said, “He is three times smarter than the best student I have met in my long working experiences. He achieves what many adult students never reach.” The young gifted child finished easily the entire primary school courses in only 12 months and then took just 18 months to complete his secondary school studies. Laurent comes from a family of doctors, and his parents cannot offer any explanation as to why their son is so academically gifted. Every time he can pass every test effortlessly with flying colors.
While Laurent is clearly able to learn faster than most, his parents are being careful to let him enjoy himself too. His father said, “We don't want him to get too serious. He does whatever he likes. We need to find a balance between being a child and his talents.” Laurent enjoyed playing with his dog Sammy and playing on his phone, like many young people.
1.How many months did Laurent spend completing his courses in primary and secondary schools?
A.18. B.12. C.30. D.9.
2.What do the underlined words “with flying colors” mean in paragraph 2?
A.A little nervously. B.Very hurriedly. C.Very successfully. D.A little satisfactorily.
3.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.Laurent always wants to get too serious in his study.
B.Laurent hardly balances between being a child and his talents.
C.Laurent's parents are careful to let him express himself.
D.Laurent's parents pay great attention to his growth as a child.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Why do people around the world celebrate Christmas?
A.To have good food. B.To attract foreigners. C.To have great fun.
2.What do foreigners probably do during the Dragon Boat Festival?
A.Eat cakes. B.Race dragon boats. C.Enjoy the moon.
3.How many dragon boat teams are there in Canada?
A.60. B.30. C.50.
4.What attracts foreigners about the Dragon Boat Festival?
A.Team spirit. B.Happiness. C.Excitement.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Why do the speakers like John Cash's music?
A.Because it is crazy music.
B.Because it is old country music.
C.Because it is new country music.
2.What does the woman think of present country music?
A.Noisy. B.Popular. C.Acceptable.
3.What does the woman want to be?
A.A guitarist. B.A violinist. C.A pianist.
4.Where does the conversation probably take place?
A.In the bathroom. B.In the studio. C.In the concert.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How many hours do students stay at school every day?
A.5. B.8. C.9.
2.What does the man think of wearing the green uniform?
A.Money-saving. B.Terrible. C.Practical.
3.What does the woman dislike about the school uniform?
A.Its style. B.Its size. C.Its color.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What can we say about the man?
A.He is helpful. B.He is curious. C.He is generous.
2.What will the woman probably do next?
A.Call her husband. B.Apologize to the man. C.Move to another room.
