IQUIQUE, Chile (Reuters) — Rescue workers at the San Jose gold and copper mine in northern Chile had reason to sing this week. A small hole drilled into the earth became a passage to freedom for 33 trapped miners, who spent 69 days underground. “Never have people been trapped for so long so deeply,” says a doctor at NASA, the American space agency, which helped in the rescue.
But the chief medical officer for the miners said most are in good enough health to leave the hospital within a day or so. The first three recovered and went home Thursday night.
For much of the day the miners relaxed with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. The 32 Chileans and 1 Bolivian still wore special sunglasses to protect their eyes.
A partial mine collapse on 5th August trapped them more than half a kilometer underground. They had to stretch a two-day food supply. For two weeks no one knew if they were alive or dead. Later, they received supplies.
The first miner rescued on Wednesday was Florencio Avalos. The second was Mario Sepulveda, who talked about how the experience tested his faith. The last miner up was Luis Urzua, who was the shift leader when his crew became trapped.
Rescuers used a metal cage to pull the miners to safety in less than 24 hours — faster than expected. The rescue capsule was a half-meter wide and known as the Phoenix, an imaginary bird from ancient stories. It bursts into flames but is continually reborn and rises from the ashes.
Chile’s Navy built the capsule with advice from mining experts and NASA engineers. It worked like an elevator, traveling up and down on a cable through a shaft（竖井）drilled 622 meters into the rocks.
Millions of people around the world watched the rescue. More than one thousand journalists traveled to the mine in the Atacama Desert to report on the rescue. They joined family members of the miners and rescue crews housed in an area of tents known as Camp Hope.
1.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Rescued miners speak out B. A rebirth for 33 rescued miners in Chile
C. Miners’ life deep underground D. Chilean president honors rescued miners
2. How many rescued miners are still in hospital?
A. 3. B. 33. C. 30. D. 69.
3. A. It was a wooden cage like a capsule. B. It was named after a real Chilean bird.
C. It worked efficiently in the rescue. D. It was built by NASA engineers.
4. The rescue is great for the reason that ______.
A. it lasted so long and the miners were trapped so deep
B. the American space agency took part
C. Chilean President was on the rescuing spot
D. 33 trapped miners were saved
A woman renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”
“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation… ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation. The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title. “What is your occupation?” she asked.
The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
I repeated the title slowly, then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field?”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t), in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (鼓舞) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal（嗓音的） pattern.
I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”
Motherhood…What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.
1. What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?
A. Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society.
B. The recorder was impatient and rude.
C. The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced.
D. The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was.
2.How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?
A. curious B. indifferent C. interested D. puzzled
3.Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?
A. Because the author cared little about rewards.
B. Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab.
C. Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of.
D. Because she thought the author did admirable work.
4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
A. To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it.
B. To show that the author had a grander job than Emily.
C. To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect.
D. To show that being a mother is hard and boring work.
One afternoon in January in 1998, Susan Sharp, 43, and her 8-year-old son David, were walking across an icy square, when Susan's cane(手杖) slipped on the ice. Her face 36 first into the mud. David 37 her mother's side, “Are you all right, Mom” 38 , Susan pulled herself up, “I'm okay, Honey,” she said.
Susan was falling more 39 since she had trouble walking. Every inch of ice was a 40 danger for her. “I wish I could do something,” the boy thought. David, too, was having 41 of his own. The boy had a speech problem, so at school he talked 42 .
One day, David's teacher announced a 43 homework. "Each of you is going to come up with an 44 ," she said. This was for "INVENT AMERICA", a national competition to encourage creativity in children.
An idea 45 David one evening. If only his mother's cane didn't slip on the ice. “What if I 46 your cane to a nail coming out of the bottom” he asked his mother.
“ 47 the sharp end would scratch(划破) floors,” Susan said.
“No, Mom, I 48 make it like a ball-point pen. You take your hand off the button and the 49 returns back up.” Hours later the cane was finished. David and his father 50 as Susan used it to walk 50 feet about the 51 . Happily Susan cried out, “It 52 !”
In July 1999, David was 53 national winner for the "INVENT AMERICA". David began to make public appearance. Thus he was forced to communicate 54 .Today, David is nearly free of his speech problem, and his 55 is becoming well accepted.
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1. A. fell |
B. touched |
C. lay |
D. dropped |
|
2. A. stood by |
B. rushed to |
C. looked at |
D. ran around |
|
3. A. Firmly |
B. Easily |
C. Quickly |
D. Shakily |
|
4. A. slowly |
B. frequently |
C. freely |
D. heavily |
|
5. A. hiding |
B. certainly |
C. possible |
D. waiting |
|
6. A. method |
B. disease |
C. trouble |
D. hope |
|
7. A. few |
B. little |
C. much |
D. more |
|
8. A. useful |
B. strange |
C. common |
D. special |
|
9. A. appearance |
B. invention |
C. experience |
D. experiment |
|
10. A. reminded |
B. encouraged |
C. occurred |
D. hit |
|
11. A. fastened |
B. stuck |
C. fixed |
D. tied |
|
12. A. So |
B. And |
C. For |
D. But |
|
13. A. might |
B. would |
C. did |
D. need |
|
14. A. pen |
B. hand |
C. cane |
D. nail |
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15. A. watched |
B. supported |
C. noticed |
D. helped |
|
16. A. street |
B. ice |
C. yard |
D. square |
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17. A. works |
B. operates |
C. succeeds |
D. helps |
|
18. A. declared |
B. received |
C. won |
D. praised |
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19. A. more slowly |
B. more carefully |
C. more clearly |
D. faster |
|
20. A. cane |
B. mother |
C. speech |
D. story |
---Oh dear! I’ve just broken a glass.
--- Never mind. _____.
A. It can’t be helped B. You are so careless
C. You are welcome D. Bad luck
Those natives who _________ move from place to place with their animals in the past have moved into new houses at last.
A. could B. would C. might D. should
— Have you ever visited the Opera House?
—Yes．When I was in Sydney, I ______ it twice．
A．have visited B．had visited C． visited D．would visit
