In a natural disaster—a hurricane, flood, volcanic eruption, or other catastrophes—minutes and even seconds of warning can make the difference between life and death．Because of this, scientists are working to use the latest technological advances to predict when and where disasters will happen．They are also studying how best to analyze and communicate this information once it is obtained．
On September 29, 1998, Hurricane Georges made landfall in Biloxi, Mississippi, after damaging Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and several islands of the Caribbean badly with torrential rains and winds up to 160 km per hour．Few people lost their lives along the Gulf Coast of the United States, although hundreds died in the Caribbean．
This was a very different outcome from 1900, when a powerful Gulf Coast hurricane made an unexpected direct hit on Galveston, Texas, killing at least 6,000 people．
Vastly improved hurricane warnings explain the different circumstances at either end of the 20th century——residents of Galveston had no advance warning that a storm was approaching, while residents of Biloxi had been warned days in advance, allowing for extensive safety precautions（预防）．
At the same time that people in Biloxi were thankful for the advance warning, some residents of New Orleans, Louisiana were less satisfied．A day before Georges made landfall, forecasters were predicting that the hurricane had a good chance of striking New Orleans．Because much of New Orleans lies below sea level, the city is at risk for flooding．Emergency management officials must begin evacuations（疏散）well before a storm strikes．But evacuation costs money: businesses close, tourists leave, and citizens take precautionary measures．The mayor of New Orleans estimated that his city' s preparations for Georges cost more than 50 million．After Georges missed New Orleans, some residents questioned the value of the hurricane forecasts in the face of such high costs．
The different views on the early warnings for Hurricane Georges show some of the complexities related to predicting disasters．Disaster prediction is a process of providing scientific information to the government officials and other decision makers who must respond to those predictions．
1.What is the purpose of disaster prediction according to the passage?
A. To identify the cause of disasters．
B. To save people' s lives and property．
C. To prevent natural disasters from happening,
D. To apply advanced technology to disaster prediction．
2.Which of the following areas suffered the most severe damage?
A. Puerto Rico． B. New Orleans．
C. Biloxi, Mississippi． D. Galveston, Texas．
3.The city residents of New Orleans were unsatisfied because __ _ .
A. the forecast hurricane did not hit the city
B. the hurricane warning arrived rather late
C. their preparations were made in vain
D. they suffered from a heavy hurricane attack
4.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. The different ways of disaster prediction．
B. Technological advances in disaster prediction．
C. The importance and uncertainty of disaster prediction．
D. The benefits and preparations of disaster prediction．
Did you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s? The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s. Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent(聪明的) than women. Right? Wrong. Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size. Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain. The brain consists of “grey matter” and “white matter” while men have more of latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes.
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women. This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time. When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time.
There are other important differences between two sexes. As white matter is the key to spatial(空间的) tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things. “A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher. That may explain one of life’s great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for directions … and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses(胎儿) are about mine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children ad young as one. A boy would try to climb a barrier (障碍物) before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others. These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills. It may all go back to our ancestors, among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research.
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t. “The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it.” says a biologist.
1.Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?
A. Women’s brain is 10% less than men’s
B. Grey matter plays the same role as white matter.
C. Both sexes have the same amount of white matter.
D. Grey matter controls thinking in the brain.
2.What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs?
A. Men do better dealing with one job at a time.
B. Women prefer doing many things at a time.
C. Women do not need to tell directions.
D. Men have weaker spatial abilities.
3.Which of the following do you agree with according to the fourth paragraph?
A. Young boys may be stronger than young girls.
B. More women take up jobs requiring speech skills
C. Women may have stronger feelings than men.
D. Our ancestors needed more spatial skills.
4.What is the writer’s attitude in writing this passage?
A. Defensive. B. Persuasive. C. Objective. D. Supportive.
The teacher who did the most to encourage me was, as it happened, my aunt. She was Myrtle C. Manigault, the wife of my mother’s brother Bill. She taught in second grade at all-black Summer School in Camden, New Jersey.
During my childhood and youth, Aunt Myrtle encouraged me to develop every aspect of my potential, without regard for what was considered practical or possible for black females. I liked to sing; she listened to my voice and pronounced it good. I couldn’t dance; she taught me the basic dancing steps. She took me to the theatre ---- not just children’s theatre but adult comedies and dramas—and her faith that I could appreciate adult plays was not disappointed.
My aunt also took down books from her extensive library and shared them with me. I had books at home, but they were all serious classics. Even as a child I had a strong liking for humor, and I’ll never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis’s Archy & Mehitabel through her.
Most important, perhaps, Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication. A writer herself for one of the black newspapers, she suggested my name to the editor as a “youth columnist”. My column, begun when I was fourteen, was supposed to cover teenage social activities—and it did—but it also gave me the freedom to write on many other subjects as well as the habit of gathering material, the discipline of meeting deadlines, and, after graduation from college six years later, a solid collection of published material that carried my name and was my passport to a series of writing jobs.
Today Aunt Myrtle is still an enthusiastic supporter of her “favourite niece”. Like a diamond, she has reflected a bright, multifaceted (多面的) image of possibilities to every pupil who has crossed her path.
1.Which of the following did Aunt Myrtle do to the author during her childhood and youth?
A. She lent her some serious classics. B. She cultivated her taste for music.
C. She discovered her talent for dancing. D. She introduced her to adult plays.
2.Aunt Myrtle recommended the author to a newspaper editor mainly to ______.
A. involve her in teenage social activities B. give her a chance to collect material
C. develop her capabilities for writing D. offer her a series of writing jobs
3.We can conclude from the passage that Aunt Myrtle was a teacher who ______.
A. gave pupils confidence in exploiting their potential
B. trained pupils to be diligent and well-disciplined
C. emphasized what was practical or possible for pupils.
D. helped pupils overcome difficulties in learning
A
couple of years ago, I went to a lady’s house to buy some vitamins.
Upon entering the house, I 36 that there was an
electronic keyboard on a stand, leaning 37 the wall.
Being a piano music lover and 38 , I asked, if the woman played.
She nodded and added that she had been
39 lessons at age 54! I told her that it was very 40 that she was pursuing （追求） her passion to play the piano. . .
Then she asked me 41 question. “I have been playing for 8 years now,” I answered.
“Then you must play a song for me before you leave,” she 42 .I thought she was joking and I simply smiled. At the end of the deal of the vitamins, she 43 me of our musical “ 44 _”. She then showed me to an old upright piano in the living room, 45 asked me to play a song for her. I thought 46 and decided to play David Lantz’s “Return to the Heart”, since she had so much passion for 47 ,and it was my soul-searching song.
I played the song to the best of my ability, and with my emotions __48 into it as possible. She loved it. 49 I was about to step out of the door, I heard a weak voice calling out, “Young man!”
I turned around. And there was an old lady 50 one little step at a time with the help of another woman. “I wanted to come out to 51 you for the beautiful song that you played. I have been very sick, and it’s very hard for me to 52 my bed, but your music made me feel good ”she said. With that, she turned around and walked 53 back to her room.
I was deeply 54 by her appreciation and felt a deeper understanding for the song. It served its purpose beautifully, returning to one’s 55 for peace and joy.
1. A. observed B. watched C. noticed D. caught
2. A. on B. at C. over D. against
3.A. player B. teacher C. composer D. starter
4.A. giving B. attending C. teaching D. reviewing
5. A. interesting B. wonderful C. moved D. impressive
6.A. another B. a different C. the same D. other
7.A. advised B. ordered C. demanded D. requested
8.A. warned B. reminded C. asked D. required
9.A. course B. task C. discussion D. deal
10.A. and B. but C. as a result D. what’s more
11.A. for the moment B. at the moment C. for a moment D. at a moment
12.A. music B. songs C. the piano D. vitamins
13. A. dropping B. falling C. pouring D. running
14.A. Since B. As C. While D. Because
15.A. taking B. making C. having D. giving
16.A. thank B. praise C. admire D. owe
17.A. get on B. get up C. get off D. get down
18.A. quietly B. calmly C. happily D. slowly
19.A. shocked B. touched C. delighted D. disturbed
20.A. world B. heart C. brains D. dreams
— It’s reported in the local newspaper that the murderer was caught in a small town.
— ______
A. Justice has long arms. B. Lies have short legs.
C. One false move may lose the game. D. Kings go mad, and the people suffer for it.
It’s really difficult to ______ what he is trying to express.
A. leave out B. break out C. put out D. make out
