U.S. airlines are seeing a major interruption because of hundreds of flights canceled due to the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano, but European flight companies will face the biggest losses.
The airline business has been tough: The decline dramatically slowed traffic; February heavy snow forced U.S. airlines to cancel thousands of flights; and now the ashes from the volcano stopped all traffic in and out of northern Europe for days.
"For U.S. flight companies, it'll be a relatively short-term hit," said Michael Boyd, president of Boyd Group International, an aviation (航空学) consulting firm. "We think right now they're down about $80 million in terms of lost income, and they're down domestically about 80,000 passengers that would have been flying domestically but aren't because they can't get here."
Delta announced that volcano-related interruption grounded about 400 flights until Monday at a cost of $20 million in lost revenues. But compare that to the recent snowstorms, when the airline canceled 7,000 flights and lost $65 million in revenue.
The disruption has created uncertainty for customers, but analysts say U.S. airlines won't face as many costs as you might think. They are not flying in extra planes to handle the passengers in trouble because, airline analyst Robert Mann said, companies simply don't have them.
"Airlines run a very lean operation now," Mann said. "So, since there are no spare aircraft or crews, the airlines will attempt to maximize loads on every one of their aircraft that do fly. But it may take days, or in some cases a week or so, to get some of these customers to where they want to go."
46. Which negative consequences mentioned in the passage did the disasters cause?
A. coldness, pollution and airlines’ losses
B. airport damage, pollution and slow traffic
C. passenger delay, coldness and airport damage
D. passenger delay, airlines’ losses and slow traffic
47. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. The fewest airplanes will fly the trapped passengers to their destinations.
B. All the customers are sure to be sent to their destinations in time.
C. The U.S. and U.K. airlines suffered the same losses in the natural disasters.
D. The volcano eruption reduced the traffic to and from northern Europe.
48. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A. the troubles that the airlines will face after the ash cloud disappears
B. the measures that the airlines will take to maximize their profit
C. the present situation of the airlines and their plan to deliver the passengers
D. the reasons why the airlines run a fine operation
49. Why will it take a long time for airlines to send the passengers to their different destinations?
A. Because the passengers enjoy staying in airports to talk with one another.
B. Because the airlines don’t have spare planes or employees to serve.
C. Because the airlines don't have enough financial support after the disaster.
D. Because the passengers are asking for full refund from the airlines.
50. The passage is most probably from_______.
A．a novel B．a news report
C．a magazine D．a thesis
第二节语法填空 (共10小题，每小题1.5分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空，并将答案填写在答题卡标号为31～40的相应位置上。
BEIJING - High school graduates from quake-hit Yushu county, Qinghai province will have greater opportunities to enter college due to favorable policies from the Ministry of Education.
Students who sit this year's college entrance examination in Yushu will receive additional test points and colleges ___31___ (instruct) to give preference to students from the area ___32___ they meet minimum admission requirements, the ministry said in a notice published on ___33___ website on Saturday.
Even for those who fail this year's exam, the education department in Qinghai will offer the students ___34___ (vary) opportunities to continue their education ___35___ receive vocational training, according to the ministry.
In China, the college entrance exam ___36___ (hold) in early June every year. About 1,000 students from Yushu's senior high schools are expected to sit this year's exam along with students from ___37___ the country.
___38___ 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Yushu of Qinghai on April 14, killing at least 2,200 people and leaving some 13,000 ___39___ (injure).
On Saturday, Premier Wen Jiabao paid his second visit to Yushu ___40___ the quake and presided over a meeting on reconstruction work.
Ⅱ 语言知识及应用（共两节，满分35分）
第一节完形填空 (共10小题; 每小题2分, 满分20分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21-30各题所给的A、B、C和D项中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The Squirrel and the Lion
A squirrel, merrily leaping on the branches of an oak tree, accidentally missed its hold and fell upon a lion who lay sound asleep at the trunk. His Majesty awoke in ___21___, and displayed his terrific teeth to the ___22___ squirrel, who, in the most humble manner, begged __23___ for the intrusion. “I grant you your life,” said the lion, “but on condition that you tell me the reason why you are always so lively and __24___, while my time passes so boringly.”
“Yes, sire,” replied the squirrel, “I will, in return for your mercy, tell you the secret. But he who speaks the truth ought to stand higher than he who ___25___ it; permit me, therefore, to jump up the tree.”
The lion agreed to this and when the squirrel was out of his ___26___ he thus addressed him: “You seek to know how I am always merry. ___27___ gives me a joyous mind, but sire, you are just lacking in it. Think of the many crimes and cruelties you have___28___. How many animals have you killed, while I have been ___29___ in carrying nuts to help my folks! You hate, and I love! Believe me, there is great meaning and truth in these words, and often have I heard my father observe when young: “Son, let your happiness be founded in virtue, and pleasure will be the constant ___30___ of your heart.”.
21. A. anger B. silence C. surprise D. hunger
22. A. thrilling B. skipping C. trembling D. frightening
23. A. explanation B. understanding C. forgiveness D. consideration
24. A. lovely B. interesting C. athletic D. happy
25. A. witnesses B. answers C. analyzes D. hears
26. A. sight B. reach C. mind D. catch
27. A. Nature B. Wealth C.Conscience D. Knowledge
28. A. made B. committed C. performed D. accomplished
29. A. employed B. required C. interested D. devoted
30. A. tendency B. desire C. companion D. assistant
第二节：读写任务（25分）
阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
What Is the Use of Examinations?
A good education should make people think for themselves. But the exam can never do anything like that.
First, examinations are second to none because it brings anxiety to students. As a child begins school, he enters a world of terrible competition.
Second, exams do not interest students to read or to learn widely. They do not help students to look for more and more knowledge, but try to put as much as possible into the students' head.
Thirdly, they lower the standards of teaching for they do not give any freedom to teachers to decide what to teach. Teachers themselves have no choice but to train their students in exam skills. The most successful students are not always the best educated but the best trained in the skills of exams.
Fourth, they tell you nothing about a person’s true ability. The exams are often nothing more than a subjective assessment ( 主观评价) by some examiners.
However, if there are no exams, few students or even no one will do any revision or study!
[任务说明]
你要参加一场英语演讲比赛，主题是“中学生学习成绩与能力的相互关系”。在参赛之前，你要查阅相关资料，并准备你的演讲发言：请认真阅读下面的短文，然后完成以下的任务。
1)概括短文的内容要点，该部分的字数大约30；
2)就“学生学习成绩与能力的相互关系”这个主题发表你的看法，至少包括以下的内容要点，该部分的字数大约120词；
a)你在考试之前心情是怎样的?
b)你在考试之前通常准备些什么?举个例子说明。
c)你的班级里学习好的同学平时是怎样备考的?
d)你认为考试成绩能完全反映你的学习能力吗?
[写作要求]
你可以使用实例或其它论述方法支持你的论点，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不要抄袭阅读材料中的句子。
[评分标准]
概括的准确性、语言的规范性、内容的合适性以及篇章的连贯性；
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第四部分：写作
第一节：基础写作（15分）
以下是有关广州海洋馆（Guangzhou Ocean World）的介绍，请根据下面表格的内容为它写一篇英文简介。
|
面积 |
约13,000平方米 |
|
总投资 |
约5,000万美元 |
|
地址 |
广州市先烈中路120号 |
|
参观内容 |
各种海洋植物; 海洋动物，如：海龟、鲨鱼、鲸鱼、海豚（dolphin）等；了解海洋是如何形成的; 许多专门供小孩阅读的有关海洋方面的书籍 |
|
业绩 |
成立以来深受好评；每年接待大量的海内外旅客 |
【写作要求】
1. 必须使用5个句子介绍全部所给内容。
2. 将5个句子组织成连贯的短文。
【评分标准】
句子结构准确，信息内容完整，篇章结构连贯。
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第四部分：单词和短语拼写 (共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分)
根据单词的首字母或括号里面汉语的意思填上相应的单词和短语
56. Doing morning exercises surely has some b_____________ effects on our health.
57. You’d better a_____________ yourself to the life here as soon as possible.
58. A baby is too young to be a_______________ of the dangers around it.
59. Only members of the club have the p______________ of using the sports facilities.
60. People of that remote village are mainly o______________ with agriculture.
61. Everybody in our class is required to p______________ in the spring outing.
62. No one knows _______ ________ what happened to him. (肯定没人知道他发生了何事。)
63. I ______ _____ an old friend I hadn’t seen for years.(我碰巧遇见了多年未见的老朋友。)
64. He lived _____________ ______________. (他过得很舒服。)
65. Later, man began to _____________ ______________ the places where the food and water were plentiful.（后来，人们开始在有充足的食物和水的地方定居下来。）
