U.S. airlines are seeing a major interruption because of hundreds of flights canceled due to the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano, but European flight companies will face the biggest losses.
The airline business has been tough: The decline dramatically slowed traffic; February heavy snow forced U.S. airlines to cancel thousands of flights; and now the ashes from the volcano stopped all traffic in and out of northern Europe for days.
"For U.S. flight companies, it'll be a relatively short-term hit," said Michael Boyd, president of Boyd Group International, an aviation (航空学) consulting firm. "We think right now they're down about $80 million in terms of lost income, and they're down domestically about 80,000 passengers that would have been flying domestically but aren't because they can't get here."
Delta announced that volcano-related interruption grounded about 400 flights until Monday at a cost of $20 million in lost revenues. But compare that to the recent snowstorms, when the airline canceled 7,000 flights and lost $65 million in revenue.
The disruption has created uncertainty for customers, but analysts say U.S. airlines won't face as many costs as you might think. They are not flying in extra planes to handle the passengers in trouble because, airline analyst Robert Mann said, companies simply don't have them.
"Airlines run a very lean operation now," Mann said. "So, since there are no spare aircraft or crews, the airlines will attempt to maximize loads on every one of their aircraft that do fly. But it may take days, or in some cases a week or so, to get some of these customers to where they want to go."
1.Which negative consequences mentioned in the passage did the disasters cause?
A. coldness, pollution and airlines’ losses
B. airport damage, pollution and slow traffic
C. passenger delay, coldness and airport damage
D. passenger delay, airlines’ losses and slow traffic
2.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. The fewest airplanes will fly the trapped passengers to their destinations.
B. All the customers are sure to be sent to their destinations in time.
C. The U.S. and U.K. airlines suffered the same losses in the natural disasters.
D. The volcano eruption reduced the traffic to and from northern Europe.
3.What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A. the troubles that the airlines will face after the ash cloud disappears
B. the measures that the airlines will take to maximize their profit
C. the present situation of the airlines and their plan to deliver the passengers
D. the reasons why the airlines run a fine operation
4.Why will it take a long time for airlines to send the passengers to their different destinations?
A. Because the passengers enjoy staying in airports to talk with one another.
B. Because the airlines don’t have spare planes or employees to serve.
C. Because the airlines don't have enough financial support after the disaster.
D. Because the passengers are asking for full refund from the airlines.
5.The passage is most probably from_______.
A．a novel B．a news report
C．a magazine D．a thesis
For most pregnant women, exercise is the last thing on their minds. After all, keeping slim while you’re expecting isn’t exactly the top priority— rather, it’s making sure your baby gets enough nutrients to grow. But in a small new study, researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand report that a mother’s regular aerobic exercise may be good for a growing fetus’ health — and may even help a baby get a healthier start in life.
The finding is a bit surprising, because exercise is known to lower the risk of insulin resistance（胰岛素抵抗），a condition eventually leading to diabetes（糖尿病）. Although insulin resistance is a detriment in healthy adults, it turns out to be helpful for proper fetal（胎儿）development. In pregnant women, this condition means nutrients get shunted to the growing baby.
The question is: could a mother’s exercise put her developing baby’s food supply at risk? Past studies looking at the effect of exercise on birth weight have been inconclusive, and none have really investigated the influence of exercise on the mother’s sensitivity to insulin. So the University of Auckland’s Dr. Paul Hoffman and his team decided to study 84 first-time mothers, who were of normal weight on average, and track any effects aerobic exercise(有氧运动) might have on their insulin sensitivity and, ultimately, on their babies’ birth weight. Researchers asked some women to exercise on a stationary bicycle for at least 40 minutes per session, up to five times each week, starting in the 20th week of pregnancy; the other women were not specifically asked to exercise. When the two groups and their babies were compared, the team found that women who bicycled regularly gave birth to babies who were on average 150g lighter than those born to the non-exercising mothers. In both groups, however, the babies were of healthy weight, and there was no difference in the mothers’ weights.
Generally speaking, babies on the lower end of the normal weight range are considered healthier and less prone to developing diabetes and obesity than heavier ones, so this was an encouraging result. Even more reassuring was that regular exercise did not seem to affect the flow of nutrients to the growing babies in the womb.
1.According to the new study, a pregnant woman’s regular exercise may _______.
A. bring benefits to a baby’s growth
B. lower the risk of insulin resistance
C. put her baby’s food supply at risk
D. help her keep slim and healthy
2.What does the underlined word “detriment” mean in the second paragraph?
A. Something that brings good.
B. Something that brings damage.
C. Something that brings obstacles.
D. Something that brings development.
3.What is the purpose of the experiment carried out by Dr. Paul Hoffman?
A. To investigate the influence of exercise on pregnant women.
B. To find out what aerobic exercise can benefit a baby’s growth.
C. To make sure of the effects exercise may have on babies’ birth weight
D. To compare the differences between mothers who exercise and who don’t
4.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Lighter babies are generally believed to be healthier than heavier ones.
B. Non－exercising mothers will definitely give birth to heavier babies.
C. No studies have looked at the effect of exercise on birth weight before.
D. Some women studied were asked to exercise regularly while some don’t.
5.Which of the following may be the best title for the passage?
A. All mothers should take aerobic exercise.
B. Moms who exercise give birth to lighter babies。
C. Exercise reduces the risk of insulin resistance.
D. Heavier babies are more likely to develop diabetes.
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空，并将答案填写在答题卡的相应位置上。
BEIJING - High school graduates from quake-hit Yushu county, Qinghai province will have greater opportunities to enter college due to favorable policies from the Ministry of Education.
Students who sit this year's college entrance examination in Yushu will receive additional test points and colleges ___1.___ (instruct) to give preference to students from the area ___2.___ they meet minimum admission requirements, the ministry said in a notice published on ___3.___ website on Saturday.
Even for those who fail this year's exam, the education department in Qinghai will offer the students ___4.___ (vary) opportunities to continue their education ___5.___ receive vocational training, according to the ministry.
In China, the college entrance exam ___6.___ (hold) in early June every year. About 1,000 students from Yushu's senior high schools are expected to sit this year's exam along with students from ___7.___ the country.
___8.___ 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Yushu of Qinghai on April 14, killing at least 2,200 people and leaving some 13,000 ___9.___ (injure).
On Saturday, Premier Wen Jiabao paid his second visit to Yushu ___10.___ the quake and presided over a meeting on reconstruction work.
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的A、B、C和D项中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The Squirrel and the Lion
A squirrel, merrily leaping on the branches of an oak tree, accidentally missed its hold and fell upon a lion who lay sound asleep at the trunk. His Majesty awoke in ___1___, and displayed his terrific teeth to the ___2___ squirrel, who, in the most humble manner, begged __3___ for the intrusion. “I grant you your life,” said the lion, “but on condition that you tell me the reason why you are always so lively and __4___, while my time passes so boringly.”
“Yes, sire,” replied the squirrel, “I will, in return for your mercy, tell you the secret. But he who speaks the truth ought to stand higher than he who ___5___ it; permit me, therefore, to jump up the tree.”
The lion agreed to this and when the squirrel was out of his ___6___ he thus addressed him: “You seek to know how I am always merry. ___7___ gives me a joyous mind, but sire, you are just lacking in it. Think of the many crimes and cruelties you have___8___. How many animals have you killed, while I have been ___9___ in carrying nuts to help my folks! You hate, and I love! Believe me, there is great meaning and truth in these words, and often have I heard my father observe when young: “Son, let your happiness be founded in virtue, and pleasure will be the constant ___10___ of your heart.”.
1.A. anger B. silence C. surprise D. hunger
2.A. thrilling B. skipping C. trembling D. frightening
3.A. explanation B. understanding C. forgiveness D. consideration
4.A. lovely B. interesting C. athletic D. happy
5.A. witnesses B. answers C. analyzes D. hears
6.A. sight B. reach C. mind D. catch
7.A. Nature B. Wealth C. Conscience D. Knowledge
8.A. made B. committed C. performed D. accomplished
9.A. employed B. required C. interested D. devoted
10.A. tendency B. desire C. companion D. assistant
阅读下面的短文，然后以约30词概括短文的要点。
Reading exercises has a great influence on a person. If pictures, still or moving, accompany the reading, the memory will keep half the material for a long time.
Don't believe those who say that bad reading cannot hurt a person. How do they know what will hurt others? Wouldn't you rather believe the experience of the ages that says, "A man is what he has read" and "Our reading and studies carry over into our lives"?
Let's get back to the beneficial effects of thinking while reading. It helps us to enlarge our minds. We understand more about the universe, its people and many of its wonders. We learn to think and observe in new ways. We certainly do get a feeling for the language we are reading. All good writers in any language have been readers who read critically and creatively and continuously.
Finally, reading will and must broaden my sympathies, expand my love for others and set it in action. How can a person who has a bit of kindness in his heart read about all the miseries and tragedies that people and nations have and not want to do and actually do what he can to relieve those people in every way he can and as much as he can?
假如你是李明，你的班里来了一位英国交换生Paul。他在和你的交谈中表示在中国学习压力很大。请你给他写封信，给他提一些建议。
【写作内容】
1． 将自己的问题告诉老师和同学，请求得到他们的帮助。
2． 不要总想着考试成绩，要多想想自己在哪些方面进步了，这样就会给自己自信。
3． 多做运动，运动可以帮助自己缓解压力，并且有助于睡眠。
【写作要求】
用五句话表达全部的内容，并组成一篇连贯的短文。（信的开头和结尾已经给出，不计入句数）；
【评分标准】
句子结构准确，信息内容完整，篇章结构连贯。
Dear Paul,
I quite sympathize with you and understand the great trouble you are suffering from. …
……
Best wishes!
Yours sincerely,
Li Ming
