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 you to find a suitable elephant?
Chris: Not too long. I bought a famale 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. But 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 ______
A. a visit to a zoo
B. an elephant expert from India
C.the photos of elephant
D. an old friend who lived in India
2.The elephant expert told Chris ______
A. when to buy an elephant
B. how to feed an elephant
C.where to sell his elephant
D. how to ride an elephant
3.Chris decided to go to Sonepur because ________
A.it is a very interesting place
B. he would be able to sell Tara there easily
C.elephants cannot be sold anywhere else
D. it would take only a short time to get there
4.When Chris arrived at the market in Sonepur,__________
A.he realized that he did not really want to sell Tara
B.he visited some shopkeepers
C.he sold Tara to a national park
D.he decided to take Tara home with him.
Canberra is the capital of Australia. It is a modern and lively city with a population of over 345,000.
1.How far is Canberra from Sydney?
A. 25 km B. 238 km C. 345 km D. 507 km
2.The word “Canberra”means__________.
A. the largest city
B. beautiful man-made lake
C.the old capital city
D. a place for friends to get together.
3.Canberra Flower Festival is a festival to ________
A. ride bikes B. visit universities
C. welcome the spring D.walk around the lake
Some time ago, my wife and I traveled to visit my sister. We had taken more clothes than we needed and struggled onto the train. In front of us, in a face-to-face seat, 16 six young men in their early 20s. They were strong and 17 , and I disliked them immediately. They were laughing loudly, obviously 18 themselves and they 19 a foreign language.
As we went quickly 20 the countryside, I kept an eye on them as they joked around. Sometimes they took a look in our direction. When two of them go out 21 , relaxed a little. The rest of them 22 to laugh and joke in their own language.
When we finally arrived at our 23 , only one of them was left on the train. He was obviously 24 too and as I struggled towards him with my heavy luggage(行李)，he reached out and asked in English “Want a hand wth that, mate?”
He 25 the heavier bag up the station steps for us. We were pleasantly surprised and very grateful.
1.A. sat B. stood C. lay D. lived
2.A. polite B. quiet C. lazy D. noisy
3.A. helping B. enjoying C. teaching D. devoting
4.A. told B. spoke C. said D. talked
5.A. above B. onto C. over D. through
6.A. off B. up C. along D. on
7.A. wanted B. started C. stopped D. continued
8.A. house B. hotel C. station D. shelter
9.A. bored B. worried C. excited D. frightened
10.A. carried B. left C. brought D. bought
--- What’s wrong with my son, doctor?
--- ____________ serious, just a slight cold. He’d better drink some water.
A. Everything B. Nothing C. Something D. Anything
We have to finish so much work within two days. We can’t __________ to waste any time.
A wait B. afford C. want D. have
It’s the _______ that caused the big forest fire. A young man dropped it carelessly at picnic.
A. cigarette end B. electric light
C. lightning D. thunder
