Driving a car at a high speed along a highway seems to be fun. You only need to follow the bright traffic signs beside the highway and it will take you where you wish to go. But to a London taxi driver, driving is not an easy job. A taxi driver needs to have not only good driving skills but also a good knowledge of the city of London, from the loneliest street to the popular restaurant around. He has to be at the service of all kinds of passengers (乘客) at all times.
A London taxi driver said the following about his job.
During the night it is usual for him to stop two or three times for some food. He said, “I never drink when I’m working, otherwise I’d lose my license (驾驶执照).”
He normally goes home between two and three o’clock in the morning. There are times he has to stay longer and try to make more runs. He said, “That’s the worst thing about working for yourself. If you don’t make money, no one is going to give it to you. ”
London taxi drivers not only “take” but also “give”. Every summer hundreds of poor children from London go for a day at the sea ― by taxi! There rides are paid by the taxi drivers. At the sea, they are met by the mayor (市长) , and a lunch party is also held for the taxi drivers and the children. After a happy day’s running around the beaches and visiting the market there, the children go home again by taxi, free of charge of course!
1.London taxi drivers try to make more runs sometimes mainly because __________.
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A．they make a living by driving |
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B．they prefer to work for themselves |
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C．they want to help more passengers |
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D．they are used to working deep into the night |
2.How do London taxi drivers “give”?
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A．They give the poor children a lunch party at the sea each summer. |
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B．They give poor children the chance to meet the maor. |
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C．They pay for some poor children’s rides for a day’s tour each summer. |
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D．They play with some poor children at the sea for a day each summer. |
3.Which of the following words can be used to describe London taxi drivers?
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A．Brave and careful |
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B．Rich and generous |
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C．Modest and easy-going |
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D．Hard-working and kind |
4.The passage is most likely to be found from __________.
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A．an advertisement of a taxi company |
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B．an online travel guide |
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C．a website about the taxi drivers in London |
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D．a report about living conditions in London |
Chris Jones recently completed a very unusual journey. Our reporter Mary Owen met him at his home in the south of London and be told her all about the trip.
Reporter: What gave you the idea to make a trip around India on an elephant, Chris?
Chris: Well, it all started the idea two years ago when I was planning a trip to India. I visited a photo exhibition of elephants and I realized that the only enjoyable way to make a trip around India was on an elephant.
Reporter: What did you do next?
Chris: I flew to New Delhi and started looking for an elephant, I needed an elephant trained to carry people. I didn’t know anything about elephants, so I asked an expert(专家) for help. He taught me how to ride an elephant. He also helped me find an elephant.
Reporter: How long did it take to find a suitable elephant?
Chris: Not too long. I bought a female elephant called Tara for about 6, 000 dollars.
Reporter: Can you tell me about the journey?
Chris: Tara and I set off from New Delhi a week later. We were going to Sonepur in northern India. There is a big elephant market there and I could sell Tara easily. And what a ride! Elephants can travel at about 6 miles an hour and Sonepur is more than 1, 200 km away. It took us 64 days to complete the journey.
Reporter: Did you have any problems on your journey?
Chris: Yes, a few. But nothing serious. On the third day, Tara hurt her foot. Btu that got better quickly. Also, there was a lot of heavy rain during the first week and we got very wet!
Reporter: What happened when you reached Sonepur?
Chris: My plan was to sell Tara. But I was very fond of her. I couldn’t take her back to Britain and I didn’t want to sell her at the market. I happened to meet some people who wanted an elephant for their national park in southern India. I knew that Tara would be safe with them, so I gave her to them. I was very sad to say goodbye.
1.Chris got the idea to make a trip around India on an elephant from __________.
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A．a visit to a zoo |
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B．an elephant expert from India |
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C．the photos of elephant |
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D．an old friend who lived in India |
2.The elephant expert told Chris __________.
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A．when to buy an elephant |
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B．how to feed an elephant |
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C．where to sell his elephant |
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D．how to ride an elephant |
3.Chris decided to go to Sonepur because __________.
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A．it is a very interesting place |
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B．he would be able to sell Tara there easily |
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C．elephants cannot be sold anywhere else |
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D．it would take only a short time to get there |
4.When Chris arrived at the market in Sonepur, __________.
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A．he realized that he did not really want to sell Tara |
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B．he visited some shopkeepers |
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C．he sold Tara to a national park |
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D．he decided to take Tara home with him |
If you want to become a better reader, what should you know about speed of reading?
Some people read very rapidly(很快地), while others read very slowly. But which one is better?
The rapid reader may be a good reader when he reads a storybook for fun. But he may not be able to slow down enough to read directions(说明) carefully. He may read so rapidly that he does not take time to understand fully the ideas and information which are important to remember.
The slow reader may be a good reader when he reads directions for making something. But he may spend too much time in reading a simple story which is meant to be enjoyed but is not important enough to be remembered.
So, you see, either a rapid reader or a slow reader is not really a good one. If you wish to become a better reader, here are four important things to remember about speed of reading.
1. Knowing why you are reading will often help you to know whether to read rapidly or slowly.
2. Some things should be read slowly throughout. Examples are directions for making or doing something, science and history books, and Maths problems. You must read such things slowly or remember each important step and understand each important idea.
3. Some things should be read rapidly throughout. Examples are simple stories for enjoyment, letters from friends and bits of news from hometown papers.
4. In some of your reading, you must change your speed from fast to slow and slow to fast, as you go along. You will need to read certain(某些) pages rapidly and then slow down and do more careful reading when you come to important ideas.
1.What should be read rapidly?
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A．Directions for making something. |
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B．Maths problems. |
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C．Science and history books. |
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D．Storybooks, newspapers, personal letters, etc. |
2.What is the important thing you should keep in mind about speed of reading?
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A．To read as fast as you can. |
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B．To fit your reading speed to your needs. |
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C．To read as slowly as possible. |
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D．To keep your reading at a certain speed. |
3.Which title best gives the main idea of the passage?
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A．Something about Careful Reading |
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B．Be a Rapid Reader. |
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C．How to Read? |
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D．How to Be a Slow Reader? |
One day something went wrong with a man’s bicycle chain(链条). The man could not repair it, so he looked 1 for help. The only house nearby belonged to a woman who had 2 there a few months earlier. The man knocked at the door, but the woman did not answer. The door had clear glass in it, and the man 3 see that the woman was home. He decided to knock again. Finally the woman came to the door. The man immediately explained his 4 . “I can fix the chain,” the woman said. Later when the bike was 5 to go, the man said, ‘Thanks. I hope I can help you some day.” “I never need help,” the woman said.
The following week the man was riding his bike 6 he noticed the woman walking
down the street. A strong wind suddenly lifted(拾起) her hat and sent it into the branches(枝) of an old tree. The woman tried to get her hat with a stick, but she failed. She seemed 7 because she clearly was not dressed for tree-climbing. The man hurried over, quickly climbed up to the hat and 8 it into the woman’s waiting hands. When she put on her hat, she 9 the man as he climbed back on his bike. ‘I think I told you I never need help,” the woman said, “I’m glad you didn’t 10 me. Thanks.” Then they both smiled.
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—I’ll fly to Qingdao for my holiday this weekend.
—Wonderful! __________
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A．Why not? |
B．I hope so. |
C．With pleasure. |
D．Have a good time! |
Don’t try to do everything at once. Take it a bit __________.
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A．at times |
B．at that time |
C．at all times |
D．at a time |
