A young British sailor was missing at sea yesterday in similar circumstances(情况) to the way his father died five years ago．
The dinghy(救生橡皮船), used to take Richard Smith, 21, to his yacht(快艇), was discovered empty, floating in seas off the Caribbean island. An air and sea search was carried out but he has still not been discovered.
Richard’s mother, Bicknell, said from her home in Hampshire, “It’s so much coincidence(意外). Richard always carried a photograph of his father attached to a poem, which included the date of his disappearance.”
“Now, it’s very strange because all they have found is Richard’s dinghy. We need to know this time what has happened one way or another. If you know at least you can go through the grieving process(悲痛的过程).”
In November 1996, Mr. Smith’s father, Charlie, was sailing in the Tasmen sea between the Australian mainland and the island of Tasmen with his new wife. They lost radio contact with the shore and they, together with their yacht were never seen again, and their disappearance remains a mystery.
Richard is described as a talented and experienced sailor. He had sailed to the Caribbean in November to help a yacht race for entertainment. He ended the evening drinking in the Abracbabra bar but left after local police closed it for being too noisy.
About 2 am the following day Richard headed back for his dinghy. He started its motor before giving an elderly woman a lift to her yacht after her dinghy had gone missing. It was the last time he was seen.
1.
Richard Smith was ____ in 2000.
A. ten B. fifteen C. twenty D. eighteen
2.
People searched for Richard using ____ .
A. ship only B. ship and radio C. ship and plane D. yacht and car
3.
. According to the passage，we know Richard died because ____ .
A. he was a green hand in sailing
B. some unknown animal attacked him
C. there was a fog in the area he was sailing
D. of something we don’t know
4.
Which statement is NOT true according to this passage?
A. Old Mr. Smith had lost radio contact with the shore before he died.
B. Richard’s father had married two women at least.
C. Richard didn’t drink on the evening before he was lost because the policeman closed the bar.
D. Richard was seen at about 2 am the day he disappeared.
I am trying to muster (鼓起) the courage to toss away my mobile phone to enjoy a more peaceful and ringfree life.
Can you imagine not having your mobile phone? In our hightech, inahurry age, a cellfree life is a hard concept to swallow. Our mobile phones can now access the Internet, and many people feel the need to express their every thought on their blog pages. If I gave up my cellphone, people would think I was mad.
I wish I had the strength to toss away my technology. I have an office phone, a home phone，an email and if people want to contact me, they can. If I’m out，people can leave a message. Do they really need to find me 24/7？However, I’m a bit like Frodo in the movie Lord of the Rings. The power of the ring is too strong and I can’t let it go.
Mobile phones have become necessary tools in our busy life. For most people, they hold all contacts and many of us don’t write up address books any more. The latest phones carry our music, pictures, movies and everything else. We feel lost without this device and when we do misplace it, we feel cut off from our fellow.
“Where have you been？” said a friend, who saw me a week after I lost my cellphone, “I tried calling you, but you disappeared. You disappeared off the face of the Earth.” See, when you don’t have a mobile phone, you don’t exist.
I’m not really going to toss my mobile phone away, in fact. We humans are such social animals and mobile phones serve us well. So in 2009, I’ve decided not to serve my mobile phone. Like all machines, I can always turn it off.
1.
. What does the underlined phrase “toss away” mean?
A. give away B. get away C. break away D. throw away
2.
The writer mentions Frodo to________.
A. show it is difficult to get rid of the mobile phone
B. show how much he likes Frodo
C. suggest a cellfree life is what he wants
D. introduce a film character to us
3.
What do we know about mobile phones in the 4th paragraph?
A. Mobile phones can do anything for us.
B. Mobile phones have become very important in our life.
C. We could not live without mobile phones.
D. We would be cut off by our fellow without mobile phones.
4.
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?.
A. The writer is not really going to toss his mobile phone away.
B. When you don’t have a mobile phone，you don’t exist.
C. The writer decides not to serve his mobile phone.
D. We humans can control ourselves and machines.
Once upon a time, there was a large mountainside, where an eagle’s nest rested. The eagle’s nest contained four 21 eagle eggs. One day an earthquake rocked the mountain, 22 one of the eggs to roll down the mountain 23 a chicken farm, which was in the valley below. The chickens knew that they must 24 and care for the eagle’s egg, so an old hen 25 to hatch and raise the large egg.
One day, the egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. 26 , however, the eagle was raised to be a(n) 27 . Soon, the eagle believed he was 28 more than a chicken. The eagle loved his home and family, 29 his spirit cried out for more. While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle looked to the skies above and 30 a group of eagles soaring(翱翔) in the skies. “Oh,” the eagle 31 , “I wish I could soar like those birds.” The chickens shouted with32 , “You cannot soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens do not soar.”
The eagle 33 staring at his real family up above, 34 that he could be with them. Each time the eagle would let his 35 be known, he was told it couldn’t be done. That is 36 the eagle learned to believe. Slowly, the eagle 37 dreaming and continued to live his life like a chicken. 38 , after a long life as a chicken, the eagle 39 .
You become what you believe you are; so if you ever dream to become an eagle, 40 your dreams, not the words of a chicken.
1.
A. large B. curious C. small D. fortunate
2.
A. guiding B. blowing C. causing D. inviting
3.
A. on B. over C. past D. to
4.
A. introduce B. punish C. protect D. share
5.
A. offered B. regretted C. managed D. turned
6.
A. Carefully B. Gently C. Sadly D. Luckily
7.
A. chicken B. eagle C. hero D. fool
8.
A. something B. everything C. anything D. nothing
9.
A. and B. but C. so D. however
10.
. A. noticed B. recognized C. respected D. watched
11.
A. cried B. smiled C. argued D. explained
12.
A. excitement B. anger C. laughter D. surprise
13.
A. approached B. avoided C. continued D. considered
14.
A. promising B. proving C. believing D. dreaming
15.
A. suggestion B. advantage C. dream D. discovery
16.
. A. what B. why C. how D. when
17.
. A. went B. enjoyed C. began D. stopped
18.
. A. Happily B. Finally C. Quickly D. Probably
19.
A. gave away B. broke down C. passed away D. died out
20.
A. steal B. follow C. have D. remember
—I really thought I’d be offered the chance.
—Oh, well, ____, Vicky.
A. you’re right B. best wishes
C. better luck next time D. congratulations
An increase in the price of drugs has _____ the rising cost of medical care.
A. contributed to B. brought up
C. burst into D. resulted from
_____ being too large, the color and the style of the dress suit me well.
A. Apart from B. As well as C. Besides D. Instead of
