Americans who volunteer for the Peace Corps get a chance to help improve lives in developing countries. They also get a chance to learn more about the world, and about themselves. This week this program is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
President John Kennedy established the Peace Corps soon after he took office in 1961. It was the time of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The new program gave Americans a chance to answer the call to service that the president made in his inaugural(就职的)speech. “Ask not what your country can do for you,” he said. “Ask what you can do for your country.” Kennedy told Peace Corps volunteers that America’s image in the countries where they were going would depend largely on them.
On August 30th, 1961, the first group of 51 Peace Corps volunteers arrived in Accra, Ghana, to serve as teachers. They had agreed to work for almost no pay. They would spend two years in Ghana helping its people and learning the reality of life in a developing country. Most of the volunteers had just completed college. About half of them taught English or health care. In the 50 years since then, more than 200，000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers. They have worked in 139 countries.
The Peace Corps is a government agency that was created to promote world peace and friendship. There are three goals: First, to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. Second, to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served. And, third. to help promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans.
Today, the Peace Corps has more than 8,000 volunteers and trainees in 77 countries. They work in agriculture, economic development, education, the environment and health care. Some work in programs related to youth development.
Sixty percent of current Peace Corps volunteers are women. The average age of a volunteer is 28. But the ages of Peace Corps volunteers range from 18 to 86. Some Americans join the Peace Corps after they retire. Today seven percent of volunteers are over the age of 50. And 19 percent are members of minority groups.
1.Volunteers for the Peace Corps can _______.
A．improve their abilities by learning in some developed countries
B．travel to many foreign countries to learn more about the world
C．have an opportunity to help all the people in developing countries
D．contribute to lives in developing countries and develop themselves
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
A．Volunteers served as teachers to work for no pay in Accra, Ghana.
B．Kennedy established the Peace Corps before he took office in 1961.
C．Most of the volunteers of the first group had just graduated from college.
D．America’s image in the foreign countries depends completely on volunteers.
3.The fourth paragraph is mainly about _______.
A．what the Peace Corps is and its steps
B．why the Peace Corps was created and what are its goals
C．what role the Peace Corps play in daily life
D．How the Peace Corps was created and its aims
4.According to the text, volunteers and trainees assist in the following aspects EXCEPT _______.
A．industry B．environment C．education D．health care
5.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A．Most of the volunteers for the Peace Corps are women.
B．Few minority groups joined the Peace Corps.
C．Half of the retired volunteers joined the Peace Corps.
D．People of different ages take an active part in the Peace Corps.
A New Zealand volcano dormant for more than a century has erupted，sending up ash clouds，disturbing flights and closing roads．
Mount Tongariro, one of three volcanoes in the centre of the North Island, became active just before midnight local time, with reports of loud explosions，pouting rocks and steam.
The 1, 978m peak is in a national park popular with hikers. No damages have been reported after the eruption.
Witnesses described a dramatic scene as the volcano erupted.
“I saw this beautiful. big cloud and I thought: ‘Gee that looks like a volcanic plume’. Just as I thought that there was a great big orange flash,” truck driver Bryn Rodda told New Zealand National Radio. “It was quite impressive.”
Mount Tongariro last erupted 115 years ago. And scientists said they did not yet know if this eruption was a single event.
Experts said they were caught by surprise—they had recorded some activity like an earthquake in recent weeks but were not expecting an eruption．
“This might just be a quiet period and we should expect it to start again at any time. So we are watching things Very closely,” volcanologist Michael Rosenberg told TVNZ.
Eruption activity has currently reduced, New Zealand media said．Meteorologists(气象学家)said the ash was blowing east towards the Pacific Ocean.
A number of inland flights from the North Island to the South Island had been affected by the volcanic activity, Air New Zealand said.
Police said highways that had been closed because visibility was affected after the eruption are now open.
Some residents in the nearby areas had temporarily left their homes. Officials have not ordered an evacuation(撤离), but advised those affected by the ash cloud to stay indoors and close their doors and windows.
1.What effect did the eruption cause?
A．Flood. B．Road block. C．Strong wind. D．Air crash.
2.What does the underlined word“dormant”in the first paragraph probably mean?
A．Inactive. B．Movable.
C．Silent. D．Covered.
3.Which of the following is true of the passage?
A．Some international flights were cancelled after the eruption.
B．All residents had to move away from their homes after the eruption.
C．Some witnesses thought it was very interesting and attractive.
D．Loud explosions caused great damage to the highways and airports.
4.What do the experts expect might happen next?
A．Another eruption.
B．An earthquake.
C．Diseases caused by the ashes.
D．An overall evacuation.
5.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A．National Park in New Zealand Damaged
B．Nothing Is Impossible.
C．Volcano or Earthquake?
D．Sudden Eruption of a Volcano in New Zealand.
The insanely popular song from South Korean recording artist PSY has just become the most watched video on YouTube ever, gaining more than 808 million views on the popular media site.
The record was previously held by another pop heavyweight, Justin Bieber, whose song“Baby”had a little more than 804 million views at press time. PSY made the announcement early today.
Since its release，the song has outshone such other popular videos as Jennifer Lopez’s“On the Floor.”and Eminem’s“Love the Way You Lie”.
And in September，“Gangnam Style”also became the most liked video on YouTube，now with nearly 5.4 million thumbs up．
At the time of the announcement, the Guinness Book of World Records released a statement saying: “In years past it was unthinkable that something would be viewed a hundred million times, and now Gangnam Style has achieved more than twice this figure in just three months on YouTube. PSY，your certificate is waiting here at our office，come and pick it up any time!”
Despite its massive popularity, the video shows no signs of slowing down, and it even has a shot at becoming the first video to get more than one billion views.
If it maintains its current rate of around six million new views per day, “Gangnam Style”would be in line to break that record by the end of the year.
It has found its way to the tops of music charts in more than 30 countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Canada, while providing material for thousands of parody videos.
It became a staple in the 2012 presidential elections with the now ramous “Mitt Romney Style” video and was even used by the North Korean government in propaganda(宣传)films promoting their supreme leader. Meanwhile, such influential figures as President Obama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt have all made mention of the hit song.
1.Which of the following ranks second in views on YouTube?
A．Gangnam Style． B．Baby．
C．On the Floor． D．Love the Way You Lie．
2.Which statement about Gangnam Style on YouTube is wrong?
A．It has become the most watched video．
B．It has become the most liked video．
C．It has won more than 5.4 million thumbs down．
D．It has more than two hundred million views in three months．
3.What does the statement made by the Guinness Book of World Records suggest?
A．Some video gained more views than Gangnam Style．
B．It is impossible that Gangnam Style should have 100 million views．
C．Guinness Book of World Records has recognized Gangnam Style’s achievements．
D．Guinness Book of World Records won’t believe Gangnam Style’s achievements．
4. Gangnam Style is to _______ if it keeps its current rate．
A．get more than one billion views
B．get more than two billion views
C．get more than 808 million Views
D．get one hundred million views
5.What can we learn about Gangnam Style from the last paragraph?
A．It is especially popular in developing countries.
B．It has played a part in the US presidential elections.
C．Few influential figures know it.
D．The supreme leader of North Korea has ever performed it.
My husband has always had a huge affection for older people and has helped out several elderly friends in the past. Mr. Dave 16 the same lake as my husband John for over 15 years．A friendship 17 but when Mrs. Dave died five years ago, it left Mr. Dave 18 . So John took Mr. Dave fishing with him every time he went. Mr. Dave was very 19 for 80 years old and never tired of being with John．
A few years later Mr. Dave had a stroke(中风)that paralyzed(麻痹)his right side．He lost his speech and was 20 a nursing home. Restricted to his bed and unable to 21 , Mr. Dave began to suffer from 22 .
This almost broke John’s heart. He finally got 23 from the nursing home to take Mr. Dave out for a ride．They were both 24 to be together again but it was very painful for Mr. Dave to be 25 into John’s truck. Because he was paralyzed on one side. The 26 of that side pulled heavily on his good side．
John had gotten his truck a year earlier, a real cowboy Cadillac, 27 was the truck of his dreams. But one day he 28 it so he could buy a van(厢式货车)that was 29 for a wheelchair. The van isn’t sporty or fast but it surely 30 Mr. Dave’s pain on their outings.
John has made a 31 fishing rod that Mr. Dave can use, 32 they still go fishing together. Even though Mr. Dave can’t 33 , he has led the nursing home staff to believe John is his son. I don’t know anyone who would 34 their prized possession to help a friend. I hope he can be an example for others to take similar steps to 35 those who are in need.
1. A．swam B．played C．fished D．visited
2. A．destroyed B．developed C．disappeared D．increased
3. A．disabled B．sleepless C．homeless D．alone
4. A．happy B．energetic C．proud D．powerful
5. A．put into B．kept away C．locked in D．picked up
6. A．sleep B．communicate C．eat D．think
7. A．weakness B．starvation C．depression D．pressure
8. A．donation B．support C．mercy D．permission
9. A．sad B．excited C．desperate D．lucky
10. A．lifted B．invited C．led D．pushed
11. A．pain B．flesh C．strength D．weight
12. A．that B．which C．what D．it
13. A．fixed B．repaired C．remade D．sold
14. A．created B．equipped C．changed D．decorated
15. A．overcomes B．removes C．reduces D．relaxes
16. A．expensive B．beautiful C．strong D．special
17. A．but B．or C．so D．and
18. A．walk B．talk C．escape D．hear
19. A．give up B．put away C．hand in D．keep off
20. A．impress B．help C．cure D．comfort
Jack _______ the test for further study in the college. Let’s have a party to congratulate him.
A．passes B．has passed
C．has been passing D．had passed
There, in the kitchen, _______ I had never seen before．
A．a girl did stand B．a girl stood
C．did a girl stand D．stood a girl
