A newly-wed couple on a four-month honeymoon were hit by six natural disasters, including the Australian floods, Christchurch earthquake and Japanese tsunami.
Stefan and Erika Svanstrom left Stockholm, Sweden, on December 6 and were immediately stranded in Munich, Germany, due to one of Europe's worst snowstorms. Travelling with their baby daughter, they flew on to Cairns in Australia which was then struck by one of the most tremendous tonadoes in the nation's history. From there, the couple, in their 20s, were forced to shelter for 24 hours on the cement floor of a shopping centre with 2,500 others. "Trees were being knocked over and big branches were scattered across the streets," Mr Svanstrom told Sweden's Express newspaper. "We escaped by the skin of our teeth," said Svanstrom.
They then headed south to Brisbane but the city was experiencing massive flooding, so they crossed the country to Perth where they narrowly escaped raging bush fires. The couple then flew to Christchurch, New Zealand, arriving just after a massive magnitude 6.3 earthquake destroyed the city on February 22. Mrs. Svanstrom said, "When we got there the whole town was a war zone." "We could not visit the city since it was completely blocked off, so instead we travelled around before going to Japan." But days after the Svanstroms arrived, Tokyo was rocked by Japan's largest earthquake since records began. "The trembling was horrible and we saw roof tiles fly off the buildings," Mr. Svantrom said. "It was like the buildings were swaying back and forth."
The family returned to Stockholm on March 29,2011 after a much calmer visit to their last destination China. But Mr. Svanstrom, who also survived the destructive Boxing Day tsunami that hit southeast Asia in 2004, said the marriage was still going strong. He added, "I know marriages have to endure some trials, but I think we have been through most of them." "We've certainly experienced more than our fair share of catastrophes, but the most important thing is that we're together and happy." Mrs. Svantrom added: “ To say we were unlucky with the weather doesn’t really cover it! It’s so absurd that now we can only laugh.”
1.How many countries did the couple visit during their honeymoon?
A.6. B.5. C.4. D.3.
2.What's the right order of the following things according to the passage?
a. The couple headed south to Brisbane.
b. The couple flew to Cairns.
c. The couple flew to Christchurch.
d. The couple were stranded in Munich.
A.a-b-c-d
B.a-c-b-d
C.d-b-c-a
D.d-b-a-c
3.By saying "We escaped by the skin of our teeth.", Mr. Svanstrom meant that _____
A.The tornadoes was tremendous
B.They escaped from the tornadoes easily.
C.They had a narrow escape from the tornadoes
D.There was something wrong with their teeth
4.According to the last two paragraphs, which word can best describe Mr. Svanstrom?
A.ambitious.
B.enthusiastic
C.considerate
D.optimistic
Robeson was born in a very poor family. At seven, he had to pick coal in a deserted mine near his home, and then he sold__36__he had picked and earned a few coins to help his parents. He had__37__schooling, for being so poor, how could they__38__school fees?
When he was fifteen, he worked__39__a servant in a school. Looking at other children studying in the classroom,he felt__40__for himself. How he__41__to have the same chance! He decided to study by__42__.In the daytime, after the sweeping and cleaning was over, he__43__stand by the window outside the classroom trying to catch what the teacher said. At night, he tried his best to remember what he__44__during the day. He worked__45__hard at his lessons that he sometimes had just three or four hours to sleep. The more he learned, the greater__46__he showed in his lessons. A math teacher discovered him and came to like this diligent boy and__47__him to sit at the back of the class. In one exam, he was the__48__one in the whole school who reached the highest grade. He would have been given the scholarship if he__49__a regular student of the school.
Robeson__50__through six long years with his study of math and wrote several articles which captured the__51__of some university professors. They admired his talent__52__his diligence. To give him a good chance, they hired him as a librarian and__53__him free guidance. Robeson felt__54__, for he was sure that before him there was a broad road__55__success.
1. A.whether B.which C.that D.what
2. A.many B.few C.little D.much
3. A.buy B.afford C.send D.read
4. A.as B.like C.for D.by
5. A.angry B.happy C.proud D.sorry
6. A.hated B.decided C.wished D.regretted
7. A.the teacher B.himself C.his parents D.his schoolmates
8. A.could B.ought to C.should D.would
9. A.had learned B.has been taught C.has heard D.had been written down
10. A.very B.so C.too D.quite
11. A.joy B.interest C.time D.taste
12. A.allowed B.agreed C.let D.refused
13. A.worst B.only C.last D.laziest
14. A.had been B.has been C.is D.was
15. A.learned B.listened C.mastered D.struggled
16. A.notice B.influence C.eyes D.attention
17. A.except for B.according to C.as well as D.in spite of
18. A.taught B.offered C.lent D.sent
19. A.sad B.angry C.happy D.disappointed
20. A.leading to B.coming from C.made of D.covered with
Successful people always make ________ preparations for any potential setbacks.
A.final B.urgent C.abrupt D.adequate
With a huge amount of food ________,all of the staff are busy preparing for the dinner tonight.
A.would serve B.served C.to serve D.serving
It was ________I went there ________I began to know something about the matter.
A.until;when B.until;that
C.not until;that D.not when;that
________ got on the train when it began to move.
A.No sooner had I B.I had no sooner
C.Hardly had I D.I hardly had