In July 1994 Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was struck by 21 pieces of a comet (彗星). When the fragments (碎片) landed in the southern part of the giant planet, the explosions were watched by scientists here on earth. But what if our own planet was hit by a comet?
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two fragments will probably hit the southern part of the Earth. The news has caused panic.
On 17 July, a fragment four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a huge explosion. About half of the fragment is destroyed. But the major part survives and hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and an enormous wave is created and spreads. The wall of water rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometres an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. The wave moves into the Indian Ocean and heads towards Asia.
Millions of people are already dead in the southern part of the Earth, but the north won't escape for long. Tons of broken pieces are thrown into the atmosphere by the explosions. As the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later civilization has collapsed. No more than 10 million people have survived.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a space fragment. The dinosaurs couldn't survive in the cold climate that followed and they became extinct. Will we meet the same end?
【小题１】55.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the author's description of the disaster in 2094?
A. The whole world becomes extremely cold
B. All the coastal cities in Africa are destroyed
C. The visit of the comet results in wars
D. The whole mankind becomes extinct
【小题２】56.Why does the author mention dinosaurs at the end of the passage?
A. Because they could only live in the warm climate
B. Because their extinction indicates future disasters
C. Because they once dominated the earth
D. Because dinosaurs and humans never live in the same age
【小题３】57.In writing the passage, the author intends to ______.
A. give an accurate description of the possible disaster in the future
B. prove that humans will sooner or later be destroyed
C. warn of a possible disaster in the future
D. tell the historical development of the Earth
58.It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n) ______.
A. article of popular science B. news report
C. research paper D. horror story
One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister. On this occasion, the work was made less troublesome by the presence of his girlfriend. I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children and the younger children would do a wonderful job of accompanying the older ones. Later, I discovered that complete confidence was the last thing I should have left home with.
I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out. I called home with this happy news. But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.
It was, I should point out, after 10 p.m., when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone. “I’ll give him a lesson,” I said. I decided they must be outside. Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a wintry night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.
Finally, in desperation, I called his girlfriend’s house. After what seemed like countless rings, his girlfriend answered. “Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here.”
He came on the phone. I was not my usual calm, rational(理智的) self. After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers. “Where are the children?” I said. He said they were with him. They had done nothing wrong. My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake. This was too good to be believed. Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it. It was only part of the truth.
The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday. My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts. Mounted and framed were a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions. They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.
1.51.The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because ______.
A. she knew that his girlfriend was a good baby-sitter
B. she believed he could take good care of the younger ones with the help of his girlfriend
C. the older children have always loved the younger ones
D. she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night
2.52.Shortly after the author left home one evening, she discovered that ______.
A. she shouldn’t have completely trusted her son
B. her son had left home with his girlfriend
C. her son had brought his girlfriend home
D. she should have taken the children along with her
3.53.The sentence “It was only part of the truth.” (Para. 5) implies that the children not only enjoyed ice-cream but also ______.
A. had their pictures taken B. had a birthday party
C. framed some photographs D. showed off their best clothes
4.54.Which of the following possible titles best expresses the main idea of this passage?
A. An Evening Out B. Modern Teenagers
C. A Precious Birthday Gift D. Mother and Children
Joe Biggs was a butcher. His shop was in a village in the beautiful south of England, and he 31 in it for many years while his father was there. Then when his father reached the age of 65, he stopped working in the shop, and Joe was alone in it, so he had to work 32 .
Joe worked five and a half days a week. His shop 33 at one o’clock on Thursday, and it was closed the whole of Sunday. Saturdays were the 34 days.
Most of Joe’s 35 came to his shop from the nearest town, but sometimes he got up earlier than usual in the morning and 36 into the city to choose meat. It was 37 there.
Joe had a big 38 in his shop, but he tried not to buy too 39 meat at a time, and to 40 it before he bought more.
One 41 a woman came into the shop at five minutes to one. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, “but some friends have just telephoned to say that they are coming to 42 tonight, and I need more 43 .”
Joe only had one piece of meat in the shop. He had sold all the others 44 in the day. He took the piece 45 and said to the woman, “This is 6.5 pounds.”
“That piece is too 46 .” the woman said. “Haven’t you got anything bigger?”
Joe went 47 the room behind his shop, opened the refrigerator, put the piece of meat into it, took it out 48 and shut the door of the refrigerator 49 , then he brought the piece of meat back to the woman and said, “This piece is bigger and more expensive. It’s 8.75 pounds.”
“Good,” the woman answered with a smile, “give me 50 of them, please.”
1.A. lived B. studied C. worked D. played.
2.A. more B. harder C. later D. again
3.A. shut B. started C. opened D. served
4.A. hardest B. easiest C. quietest D. busiest
5.A. customers B. meat C. buyers D. friends
6.A. walked B. flew C. drove D. ran
7.A. easier B. fresher C. nearer D. cheaper
8.A. refrigerator B. room C. kitchen D. cupboard
9.A. much B. expensive C. fresh D. adequate
10.A. eat B. cook C. sell D. freeze
11.A. Thursday B. Sunday C. Monday D. Saturday
12.A. party B. dinner C. lunch D. dance
13.A. food B. vegetable C. meat D. fruit
14.A. later B. earlier C. quicker D. cheaper
15.A. in B. up C. away D. out
16.A. small B. large C. cheap D. bad
17.A. outside B. from C. into D. through
18.A. still B. again C. even D. back
19.A. carefully B. quickly C. lightly D. heavily
20.A. both B. none C. each D. all
I’m afraid I _______ people always complaining. They just ruin the mood of the people around them.
A. have no use for B. have no trouble with
C. have no mercy for D. have no thirst for
Considering the boys around Tom a bad influence on him, his parents don’t like him ______ them.
A. corresponding with B. fascinating with
C. associating with D. conflicting with
In order to prevent people spreading rumours through the Internet, the government decided to place ______ on the freedom of spreading news on line.
A. orders B. reservations C. restrictions D. scales
