Electricity shortage leaves Afghanistan in the dark. Electricity is in short supply in the Middle Eastern Nation of Afghanistan. Only 6 percent of the country’s residents have electric power, according to the Asian Development Bank, an organization that works to reduce poverty.
Some residents in Kabul received only 3 hours of electricity a day last fall. Others received none. Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan. “It’s dark everywhere,” says city resident Gul Hussein. “Some of our neighbours are using candles.”
Experts say water shortage is partly to blame. Water is used to make electricity. In Kabul, power becomes scarce in midsummer, when the region’s hydroelectric(水力发电的) dams dry up. Hydroelectricity is made by the force of falling water.
Kabul’s growing population is also a cause. Since the late 1990s, the city’s population has jumped from less than 1 million to more than 4 million people. Now even more electricity is needed.
Despite receiving millions of dollars in international aid, the country’s electricity shortages continue. Still, Afghans hope for a solution. One plan is to import, or bring in, power from the nearby country Uzbekistan. Afghan officials also spoke with U.S. president about the nation’s need to make its own electricity.
“ Life takes power,” says Jan Agha, a worker from Kabul. “If you have electricity, life is good; but if there’s no electricity, you go around like a blind man.”
1.One reason for electricity shortage is _________
A. the lack of international aid
B. the shortage of hydroelectric dams
C. the increase of population
D. the low temperature in midsummer
2. Which of the following will probably a solution for the problem of electricity shortage?
A. To build more hydroelectric dams.
B. To advise people to use less electricity.
C. To buy electricity from America.
D. To produce electricity on its own.
3. What does the underlined word “scarce” mean in paragraph 3?
A. not normal B. not little C. not effective D. not enough
4. Which one should be the best title for the passage?
A. Water Shortage in Afghanistan B. Population Lead to Lack of Electricity
C. Electricity Shortage in Afghanistan D. Help Needed in Afghanistan
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
Put yourself in these tourists’ position. You are walking an icy mountain path in the Alps in Europe. Suddenly you spot a body on the ground, face downward and stuck to the ice. You think someone may have been murdered or in a fatal accident. So you rush back and call the police. The police, however, quickly realize that this body is different from others they’ve found on the mountain. For one thing, it is mostly undamaged. For another, its skin is dried out, like a mummy’s（木乃伊）. And there is an old small stone knife beside the body.
The body turned out be much older than the tourists could have guessed. When specialists（专家）had a chance to examine it, they discovered it had been there for about five thousand years!
How could a body stay preserved for all this time? Two things probably helped. First, the place where the man died was somewhat sheltered, so animals couldn’t get at it. Then he was quickly covered by falling snow. Wind blowing through the snow probably “freeze-dried” his body, removing all moisture(水分) from it.
Objects found with the body told something about the Iceman’s life. He wore a well-made fur jacket and trousers. He clearly had been hunting, because he carried arrows, and animal bones were nearby. He also had a grass cushion for sitting or sleeping on. Perhaps he was tired when he lay down for the last time.
The body was found in 1991, when some of the ice on the mountain melted. Searching for the cause of the Iceman’s death, scientists put the body back into cold conditions---and hoped.
1. What does the underlined word “spot” in the first paragraph probably mean?
A. lay B. dig C. find D. carry
2. Which of the following is NOT the reason that the police realize that the body is different from others?
A. The body’s skin is like a mummy’s. B. Beside the body is an old small stone knife.
C. The body is much older than others. D. The body is mostly undamaged.
3. At what time of a year was the Iceman probably died?
A. Early fall. B. Late spring. C. Summer. D. Winter.
4. This passage is mainly to _____________
A. tell us what life was like 5, 000 years ago.
B. warn us not to go to the Alps.
C. introduce a mysterious Iceman to us.
D. explain the mystery of the Alps.
第二节：完形填空（共20小题，每小题1. 5分，满分30分）
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36～55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
Pass Your Love On
Waiting for the airplane to take off, I was happy to get a seat by myself. Just then, an air hostess approached me and asked, “Would you mind 36 your seat? A couple would like to sit together.” The only 37 seat was next to a girl with her arms in casts (石膏绷带)，a black-and-blue face, and a sad expression. “ 38 am I going to sit there,” I thought immediately. But a soft voice spoke, “She needs help.” Finally, I 39 _ to move to that seat.
The girl was named Kathy. She 40 in a car accident and now was on her way for_ 41 .
When the snack and juice arrived, it did not take me long to 42 that Kathy would not be able to 43 herself. I considered 44 to feed her but hesitated, as it seemed too 45 to offer a service to a 46___. But then I realized that Kathy’s need was more 47 than my discomfort. I offered to help her eat, and 48 she was uncomfortable to accept, she 49 as I expected. We became closer and closer in a short period of time. By the end of the five-hour trip, my heart 50 , and the 51 was really better spent than if I had just sat by myself.
I was very glad I had reached 52 my comfort zone(地带) to sit next to Kathy and feed her. Love 53 flows beyond human borders（边界） and removes the fears that keep us 54 . When we 55 to serve another, we grow to live in a larger and more rewarding world.
36. A. losing B. changing C. taking D. bringing
37. A. comfortable B. suitable C. available D. favorite
38. A. No problem B. No way C. Nowhere D. No doubt
39. A. decided B. wanted C. regretted D. promised
40. A. was B. would be C. used to be D. had been
41. A. treatment B. travel C. pleasure D. business
42. A. see B. say C. realize D. recognize
43. A. eat B. feed C. choose D. support
44. A. offering B. needing C. stopping D. trying
45. A. impolite B. far C. close D. fast
46. A. girl B. neighbor C. passenger D. stranger
47. A. unusual B. direct C. important D. shameful
48. A. when B. although C. since D. as
49. A. refused B. wondered C. cried D. did
50. A. had warmed B. had jumped C. had broken D. had cheered
51. A. life B. money C. time D. energy
52. A. below B. through C. across D. beyond
53. A. seldom B. never C. hardly D. sometimes
54. A. separate B. independent C. silent D. upset
55. A. happen B. offer C. wait D. continue
．______two articles to write today，I have to stay at the classroom to make it.
|
A．With |
B．For |
C．Because of |
D．As for |
----_____is it that is troubling Mary ?
----Working out the maths problem..
|
A．What |
B．How |
C．Why |
D．Which |
I wonder how long it will take you_____ such a hard task within so little time.
|
A．complete |
B．to complete |
C．completing |
D．completed |
