When did you last see a polar bear(北极熊）? On a trip to a zoo,perhaps? If you had attended a winter activity in New York a few years ago, you would have seen a whole polar bear club. These "Polar Bears" are people who meet frequently in the winter to swim in freezing cold water. That day, the air temperature was 3℃, and the water temperature was a little higher. The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island, New York are usually about the age of 60. Members must satisfy two requirements. First, they must get along well with everyone else in the group; this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club. Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November through February.
Doctors don't agree about the medical effects of cold-winter swimming. Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body's temperature drops so low that finally the heart stops. Other doctors, however, point out that there is more danger of a heart attack during summer swimming because the difference between the air temperature and water temperature is much greater in summer than in winter.
The Polar Bears themselves are satisfied with the benefits of cold-water swimming. They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system(循环系统）because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm. Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water. A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and should not try cold-water swimming.
The main benefits of cold-water swimming are probably mental.The Polar Bears love to swim all year round; they find it fun and relaxing. As one 70-year-old woman says,"When I go into water, I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away."
1.The members of the Polar Bear Club must meet the following requirements except that_____.
A.they must swim outdoors at least 8 times in the four cold months
B.they must reach the age of 60
C.they should be easy to make friends with
D.they must agree to swim outdoors from November through February
2.According to the passage, some doctors believe it is true that_____.
A.Polar Bears are bears swimming in freezing water
B.cold-water swimming can make the body temperature dangerously high
C.you are healthy if cold-water swimming turns your skin color blue
D.cold-water swimming causes more heart attacks in summer than in winter
3.The Polar Bears like to swim year-round, for_____.
A.it is an easy way to keep the body warm in winter B.they can remain young
C.they find it enjoyable and interesting D.they might meet fewer troubles in life
4.The passage is mainly about_____.
A.the requirements of the Polar Bear Club
B. a group of cold-water-swimming livers
C.the Polar Bears' life in New York
D. doctors' ideas about cold-water swimming
One day last November, Tom Baker stopped out of his house into the morning light and headed across the rice fields toward the bank of the Rapti River. Tom, a 32-year-old school teacher in the farming village of Madanpur, was going for his morning bath.
As he approached(走近) the river, the head of a tiger(老虎) suddenly appeared over the edge of the river bank. Before he could turn to run, the tiger was upon him. It jumped on his shoulder and threw him to the ground, its huge jaws attacked his head in a killing bite.
Peter Smith was also on his way to the river and saw the attack. He screamed. The tiger lifted its head and roared(吼叫) at him. Peter ran.
From the window of his house John Brown heard the tiger roar and ran out to see it attacking a man. He screamed, too, and all the villagers ran out shouting as the tiger dropped its victim(牺牲品) and ran off. When the villagers reached the river bank, Tom was already dead.
For the villagers, the horror of the incident intensified(加剧) by the tales of man-eating tigers that has once run around in the countryside, killing hundreds.
1.How many people saw the tiger before it was driven off?
A One person. B. Two persons. C. Three persons. D. Four persons.
2.The reason why the tiger attacked the man was .
A. it was hungry B. it was angry
C. it was frightened by the man D. not mentioned in the passage
3.When did the attack take place?
A. Early in the morning B. At noon
C. Late in the afternoon D. At five before dark
4.According to the passage, the underlined word screamed in the third paragraph probably means ____.
A. gave a sharp cry because of fear. B. shouted out for help.
C. made some loud noise. D. cried out in pain.
To swim across the English Channel takes at least nine hours. It‘s hard work and it makes you short of breath. To fly over the channel takes only twenty minutes as long as you’re not held up at the airport， but it‘s an expensive way to travel. You can travel by hovercraft （气垫船）if you don’t mind the noise and that takes forty minutes. Otherwise， you can go by boat， if you remember your sea-sickness pills. All these means of transport have their problems， and the weary（厌烦的）traveler often dreams of being able to drive to France in his own car. “Not possible， you say. Well， wait a minute. People are once again considering the idea of a channel tunnel or bridge.” This time， the great London Council（议会）is looking into the possibility of building a channel link straight to London. A bridge would cost far more than a tunnel， but you would be able to make a journey by rail or by car on a bridge， yet a tunnel would provide a rail link only. Why is this idea being discussed again？ Is Britain realizing the need for links with Europe as a result of joining EEC？Well， perhaps， the main reason， though， is that a tunnel or bridge would reach the twenty square kilometers of London‘s discussed dockland（船坞）。 A link from London to the continent would stimulate（刺激） trade and revitalize（使重新具有活力）the port， and would make London a main trading center in Europe. With a link over the Channel， you could buy your fish and chips in England and be able to eat them in France while they are still warm！
1.From the lines we can see that people crossed the Channel by ______ in the past.
A. air B. boat C. swimming D. A， B， or C
2.The weary traveler thinks the best way to cross the Channel is ______.
A. by swimming B. in his own car C. by air D. by hovercraft
3.A tunnel would cost______ a bridge.
A. far less than B. as much as C. far more than D. as little as
4. The main idea of the passage is______.
A. how to develop the trade of London
B. when to cross the Channel
C. how to get to Europe from London more conveniently
D. what to do in the developing of traveling
Michel is a young girl who works for the police 36 a handwriting expert (专家). She has helped 37 many criminals (罪犯) by using her special talents (天才).
When she was fourteen, Michel was already 38 interested in the differences in her friends' 39 that she would spend hours 40 them. After 41 college she went to France for a 42 two-year class in handwriting at the School of Police Science.
Michel says that it is 43 for people to hide their handwriting. She can discover
44 of what she needs to know simply 45 looking at the writing with her own eyes, 46 she also has machines 47 help her make 48 different kinds of paper and ink. This knowledge is often 49 great help to the police.
Michel believes that handwriting is a good 50 of what kind of person the 51 is. "I wouldn't go out with a fellow 52 I didn't like his handwriting. " She says. But she 53 she fell in love with her future husband, a young policeman 54 she studied his handwriting. It is later proved to be 55 , however.
36. A. with B. by C. like D. as
37. A. search B. follow C. catch D. judge
38. A. so B. too C. quite D. extra
39. A. books B. letter C. tongues D. handwriting
40. A. writing B. studying C. settling D. uncovering
41 A. attending B. finishing C. starting D. stepping into
42. A. powerful B. natural C. special D. common
43. A .main B. safe C. easy D. impossible
44 A. most B. nothing C. little D. sight
45. A. with B. by C. of D. about
46 A. so B. for C. thus D. but
47 A. they B. in which C. that D. those
48 A. up B. out C. for D. Into
49 A. of B. to C. with D. for
50 A. test B. sign C. means D. habit(习惯)
51 A. thief B. criminal C. writer D. policeman
52 A. whether B. unless C. if D. after
53 A. adds B. tells C. repeats D. cries
54 A. before B. after C. shyly D. and
55 A. necessary B. all right C. important D. quite easy
When _________ an egg for the first time, the hen lay in the doghouse.
A. lay B. lying C. laying D. laid
33. It is obvious __________ he has no chance to go to college.
A. that B. whether C what D. Which
