Things similar continuously happened in Haiti and Chile．Thousands of people were
buried in the earthquake and lost their fives．What if we could have warned them? People are always trying hard to find a way of preventing building collapsing(坍塌)．Better materials and technology help，but are not a solution．Just like humans，a building has its own life circle from “birth” to “death”．If we know when a building is going to collapse，we can repair it in advance or get out before it falls．
Now, scientists at the University of Illinois have developed a material that turns red before it breaks．The invention could be used in things like climbing ropes，or bridge supports．The secret behind the color-changing material is a type of molecule(分子)．A molecule is a group of atoms held together by chemical bonds(化学键)．Imagine you and your friends standing in a circle，holding hands．Each person stands for one atom，your hands represent the bonds，and the entire circle represents a molecule．If one person lets go of his or her hands，the molecule changes color．The research team put the molecule into a soft material．When the researchers stretched(拉长) the material：it turned bright red a few seconds before it broke into two pieces．
When they repeatedly stretched and relaxed the material，without breaking it，it only turned a little red．
The major problem is，light can get rid of the red color．When the team shone a bright light on the molecule，the broken bond was fixed，and the color disappeared．If bright fight keeps the red color from appearing，the material’s warning system will be useless．Scientists still have a lot of work to do before the color-changing molecule can be used outside the lab．
1. The passage mainly about
A. a way of preventing building from breaking down
B. a series of earthquakes in Haiti and Chile
C. a way of warning before buildings collapse
D. a newly-discovered structure of a molecule
2.According to the passage，we can conclude that
A．there are problems to solve before putting the new material to use
B．scientists have found the life circle of buildings from “birth” to “death”
C．bright fight makes the red color visible to human eyes
D．the new material is unlikely to be used in building bridges
3.The color-changing molecule can
A．make building materials much stronger
B．help building materials get stretched if necessary
C．prevent the earthquake from killing people
D．remind people to leave buildings before they fall
4.The warning system is based on the fact that
A．red color won’t show up when it meets bright fight
B．a material with a certain type of molecule Can turn red when stretched etched
C．a building has its own life circle of “birth” to “death”
D．the broken bond will fix itself when a molecule meets bright fight
BEIJING — The rescue operations at a coal mine accident have ended with 105 miners dead．The State Council has organized an investigation team to probe (调查) into what caused the disaster in the city of Linfen, North China’s Shanxi Province．Preliminary investigations show the illegal mining of an unauthorized seam, and the number of miners who had been sent down the shaft far exceeded its capacity．
This mine was found to have long disregarded the rules to steal state coal, and did not have a list of miners employed to check the number of miners missing after the accident．
How did such a coal mine get all the necessary licenses for production? How did it pass the three safety inspections the local government organized last month?
In response to this disaster, the Shanxi governor promised to set up hotlines for people to report illegal coal mines and rewards as high as 100,000 yuan for tip-offs．
We appreciate the action this governor has taken to solving the coal mining problems, and we believe that the reporting scheme will help to stop the existence of illegal coal mines．
But at the same time we have reason to question how governments at various levels supervise these mines．
The sad fact that such a mine with serious safety problems could pass three consecutive local government safety inspections in a month is enough to tell us how ineffective the safety inspections were．
What if these inspections were just a formality? What if the inspectors were bribed by the mine owners to turn a blind eye to the safety dangers? We can well imagine what would happen if reports about mine problems were handled by such officials．
So a thorough probe must find out who are responsible for the death of so many miners．A real safety inspection and management system must be established to guarantee that safety dangers will be removed．
1.What is NOT one of the causes of this coal mine accident?
A．The workers didn’t operate properly．
B．The mine didn’t obey the rules to mine for coal．
C．A lot more miners than allowed were working under the mine．
D．The safety inspections were ineffective．
2.According to the writer, who should be further investigated?
A．Mine owners and miners．
B．Miners’ families and mine staff．
C．Government officials and safety inspectors．
D．The Shanxi governor and miners．
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A．More than 105 miners died in the disaster．
B．Some other coal mines like this one exist in Shanxi province．
C．Safety inspectors just turned a blind eye to hidden dangers．
D．The three inspections were only a formality．
4.What does the underlined word “tip-offs” probably mean in Paragraph 4?
A．Some warnings．
B．Some money for one’s service．
C．Some secret information．
D．Some pieces of advice．
Fifteen years ago, I entered the Boston Globe, which was a temple to me then . It wasn’t easy getting hired. I had to fight my way in to a dime-a-word job. But once you were there, I found , you were in .
Globe jobs were for life-guaranteed until retirement. For 15 years I had prospered there—moving from an ordinary reporter to foreign correspondent and finally to senior editor. I would have a lifetime of security if I struck with it.
Instead, I had made a decision to leave.
I entered my boss’s office. Would he rage? I wondered. He had a famous temper. “Matt, we have to have a talk, ” I began awkwardly. “I came to the Globe when I was twenty —four. Now I’m forty . There’s a lot I want to do in life. I’m resigning. ”
“To another paper? ” he asked.
I reached into my coat pocket, but didn’t say anything, not trusting myself just then.
I handed him a letter that explain everything. It said that I was leaving to start a new media company. That the Globe had taught me in a thousand ways. That we were at a rare turning point in history, I wanted to be directly engaged in the change.
“I am glad for you , ” he said , quite out of my expectation. “ I just came from a board of directors meeting and it was seventy-five percent discouraging news. Some of that we can do deal with. But much of it we can’t ,” he went on. “I wish you all the luck in the world, ”be concluded. “And if it doesn’t work out , remember ,your star is always high here.”
Then I went out of his office, walking through the newsroom for more good-byes. Everybody was saying congratulations. Everybody—even though I’d be risking all on an unfamiliar venture : all the financial security I had carefully built up.
Later, I had a final talk with Bill Taylor, chairman and publisher of the Boston Globe. He had turned the Globe into a billion-dollar property.
I’m resigning, Bill, ” I said. He listened while I gave him the story. He wasn’t looking angry of dismayed either. After a pause, he said, “Golly, I wish I were in your shoes.”
1. From the passage we know that the Globe is a famous .
A．newspaper B．magazine C．temple D．church
2.If the writer stayed with the globe, .
A．he would be able to realize his lifetime dreams
B．he would let his long favourite dreams fade away
C．he would never have to worry about his future life
D．he would never be allowed to develop his ambitions
3.The writer wanted to resign because .
A．he had serious trouble with his boss
B．he got underpaid at his job for the Globe
C．he wanted to work in the new media industry
D．he had found a better paid job in a publishing house
4.By “I wish I were in your shoes. ”(in the last paragraph), Bill Taylor meant that . A．the writer was to fail B．the writer was stupid
C．he would do the same if possible D．he would reject the writer’s request
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
To his parents’ disappointment, Andy was born with a disability. The two sides of his brain were not joined 21 to each other. The right side of his body could not 22 with the left. At age three, it was 23 for him to walk, speak or play. He could only 24 a few words and walk slowly 25 someone held each of his hands.
Then came the 26 struggle. He attended an all-day health center 27 he was enrolled for every type of treatment imaginable. He struggled, sometimes 28 , to get stronger. Andy hated 29 when his parents would leave him there in the mornings. 30 , they believed that he would grow up to live a normal and healthy life. They believed it for themselves and for Andy.
It 31 . Today Andy is a successful 13-year-old high school student. His progress has been nothing short of extraordinary. He receives special help with a few things, but 32 his friends in all the activities he loves. Andy has 33 enormous difficulties to move from adversity(困境) to 34 .
Ask yourself, "What are the seeds of strength 35 in my struggles today? If I get up when I fall, what will that make possible tomorrow?"
"Overnight success" is the 36 of years of determination and continued learning. Victory is possible for 37 who decide it is their 38 . They’ll find the path 39___ their dream. However, they will accept hard times as the adversity that will foster their strength, growth and skills to attract the victory they 40 .
1.A. commonly B. normally C. particularly D. correctly
2.A. talk B.catch up C. communicate D. put up
3.A. easy B. impossible C. difficult D. slow
4.A. say B. tell C. speak D. repeat
5.A. while B. as C. if D. because
6.A.difficulty B. bitter C. pressure D. struggle
7.A. where B. that C. which D. when
8.A. in danger B. in tears C. in trouble D. in advance
9.A. that B. it C. the time D. them
10.A. Therefore B. Furthermore C. However D. Besides
11.A. paid off B. took off C. called off D. set off
12.A. joins B. attends C. takes part in D. participates in
13.A. managed B. overcome C. taken D. had
14.A. confidence B. power C. end D. victory
15.A. found B. put C. hidden D. grown
16.A. result B. reason C. cause D. effect
17.A. them B. those C. these D. such
18.A. measure B. duty C. attempt D. purpose
19.A. to B. of C. at D. towards
20.A. look B. search C. seek D.hunt
Tell John not to leave the house unless he that the lights .
A．will make sure，turn off B．makes sure，are turned off
C．will make sure，will turn off D．makes sure，will be turned off
Mrs．Brown is so about her housework that few servants Want to work for her．
A．skillful B．neat C．particular D．special
