With alarming regularity, we read about oil tankers having accidents near land and the terrible consequences of the oil spills(泄露) on people, nature, and the environment.
Millions of dollars have been used in developing special chemicals to help dismiss the spills and to clean up the animals, beaches, and land spoiled by the oil. Unfortunately, when many of these chemicals are used, more damage is caused to the environment, especially to lives in the sea.
Of all of today’s environmental disasters, an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious. Although oil is poisonous, it is a natural material. In the end, it breaks down naturally. There are, of course, long-term effects, but it is usually more serious in the short term.
Nature by itself works better than chemical materials, but when there is a spill we demand that governments act immediately with as much hi-tech knowledge as possible. In 1967 the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000 tones of oil into the ocean. If you go there today, you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever happened.
Governments seem to accept the risk of transporting millions of tons of oil by ship every day so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage. Interestingly, the biggest companies in the world produce cars, and the next biggest supply the gasoline to make them run!
We should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil. Governments should be encouraging research into new technologies, such as cars run by solar power(太阳能), electricity, hydrogen, and so on. Much of this research has, in the past, been held back by the oil, gas, and coal.
If the world’s millions of cars were 10% more efficient(高效的) — and the industry could easily produce cars at least twice as efficient — we would need many fewer tankers crossing the oceans each year. If this happened, the risks of oil spills would be reduced, and the air we breathe would be cleaner and fresher, too.
1.What is the passage mainly talking about?
A. Oil spills pollution. B. What oil pollution is.
C. Oil tanker accidents. D. How to reduce oil pollution.
2.How does the author support the idea that oil spills are not as serious as people believe?
A. By giving a description. B. By making an argument.
C. By giving an example. D. By drawing a diagram.
3.What does the underlined word “risk” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
A. Transportation depending more on oil. B. Poisonous oil breaking down naturally.
C. Millions of tons of oil spilling into the sea. D. More environmental damage being caused.
4.Which suggestion is made for reducing oil tank accidents according to the passage?
A. We should build safer oil tankers in the near future.
B. We should develop new technologies to cut oil use.
C. Tankers should not be allowed to sail near the coastlines.
D. Countries should build more oil pipelines under the sea.
The Pillow
At the age of sixteen, I joined a volunteer group with my dad. I went on my first volunteer project in West Virginia. On the night we arrived, we discovered that “our family” was living in a trailer (拖车) that was in poor condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, but every time they finished one problem, another surfaced.
We decided the only reasonable solution was to build a new house—something unusual but necessary under these circumstances. The family was overjoyed with their new house that was twenty by thirty feet with three bedrooms, a bath and a kitchen.
On Tuesday of that week, while we ate lunch together, I asked the family’s three boys, Josh, Eric and Ryan, “What do you want for your new room?” Expecting toys and other gadgets that children usually ask for, we were astonished when Josh responded, “I just want a bed.”
The boys had never slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. That night we had a meeting and decided that beds would be the perfect gift. On Thursday night, a few adults in our group drove to the nearest city and bought beds and new bedding.
When we saw the delivery truck coming, we told the family about the surprise. We could hardly contain ourselves. It was like watching excited children on Christmas morning.
That afternoon, as we fitted the frames of the beds together, Eric ran into the house to watch us. Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed enthusiasm from the doorway.
As my father slipped a pillowcase onto one of the pillows, Eric asked, “What is that?”
“A pillow,” he replied.
“What do you do with it?” Eric continued to ask.
“When you go to sleep, you put your head on it,” I answered softly. Tears came to my eyes as my father handed Eric the pillow.
“Oh…that’s soft,” he said, hugging it tightly.
Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems urgent, my dad gently asks, “Do you have a pillow?”
We know exactly what he means.
1.The writer’s first volunteer project was ______.
A. working on a poor trailer B. helping a poor family
C. donating beds and bedding D. dealing with a housing problem
2.On hearing Josh’s answer, the writer was shocked because ______.
A. the family lived in a trailer B. he expected to get some toys
C. he didn’t know what a bed was D. the boys had no bed to sleep in
3.From the passage, we can learn that Eric had never seen ______ before.
A. a trailer B. a truck C. a pillow D. a house
4.By saying “Do you have a pillow?”, the writer’s father means that ______.
A. what they want to get may be unnecessary
B. they should not waste money on small things
C. they should do more volunteer work for the poor
D. what he will buy is not what they want but a pillow
One afternoon I toured an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting. I was looking forward to a quiet 21 of the splendid artwork.
A young 22 viewing the paintings ahead of me 23 nonstop between themselves. I watched them a moment and decided the lady was doing all the talking. I admired the man’s 24 for putting up with her 25 stream of words. 26 by their noise, I moved on.
I met them several times as I moved 27 the various rooms of art. Each time I heard her continuous flow of words, I moved away 28 .
I was standing at the counter of the museum gift shop making a 29 when the couple approached the 30 . Before they left, the man 31 into his pocket and pulled out a white object. He 32 it into a long stick and then 33 his way into the coatroom to get his wife’s jacket.
“He’s a 34 man,” the clerk at the counter said. “Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age. During his recovery, he made a promise his life wouldn’t change. So, as before, he and his wife come in 35 there is a new art show.”
“But what does he get out of the art?” I asked. “He can’t see.”
“Can’t see! You’re 36 . He sees a lot. More than you and I do,” the clerk said. “His wife 37 each painting so he can see it in his head.”
I learned something about patience, 38 and love that day. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person without 39 and the courage of a husband who would not 40 blindness to change his life. And I saw the love shared by two people as I watched this couple walk away, their arms intertwined.
1.A. view B. touch C. wander D. stare
2.A. lady B. couple C. man D. clerk
3.A. yelled B. argued C. screamed D. chatted
4.A. attempt B. independence C. patience D. wisdom
5.A. constant B. vivid C. casual D. vague
6.A. Adopted B. Adapted C. Disturbed D. Conducted
7.A. from B. to C. towards D. through
8.A. anxiously B. quickly C. urgently D. sensibly
9.A. comment B. purchase C. decision D. profit
10.A. exit B. entrance C. front D. queue
11.A. plugged B. reached C. held D. bent
12.A. lengthened B. made C. brought D. broadened
13.A. led B. found C. tapped D. forced
14.A. generous B. rough C. smart D. brave
15.A. wherever B. whatever C. whenever D. whichever
16.A. unique B. silly C. equal D. wrong
17.A. decorates B. draws C. shows D. describes
18.A. kindness B. pride C. courage D. enthusiasm
19.A. sight B. support C. expectation D. confidence
20.A. get B. allow C. hope D. cause
Even though you offered ______ I have just offered ,I would not sell it to you.
A. the money twice that B. twice the money that
C. twice the money what D. the money that twice
China is known ______ greatly in terms of its cultural values over the past few years.
A. to change B. having changed C. changing D. to have changed
Tom’s boss told Tome that if he worked hard, he _____ have a rise.
A. may B. ought to C. can D. shall
