I always remember one Christmas when we ______ outside of town. My older brother had a job in a different city ______ he always made it home to celebrate the holidays. During the few days before Christmas Day, we _____ a violent snowstorm with powerful winds. It was so ______ that the country road was almost impassable.
The day before Christmas was more ______ than I had ever imagined. My older brother was stuck at a stranger’s home where he had been ______ to stay overnight because of the storm. The person was _______enough to let him stay until morning. But, the ______ was that he couldn’t get his car to start and there was no assistance available.
So, my dad and I ______. We were lucky enough to make it to where my brother was ______. After his car warmed up, he thought it much ______ to head back to his place rather than try and make it home for Christmas. So we headed in ______ directions.
The drive back got even worse. We got stuck in a huge snowdrift. A(n) ______ had to be made. We placed a shovel(铲子) about ten feet behind the car to ______ anyone else that there was an obstruction(障碍物) ahead.
We left the cars in the ______ , wrapped(包裹) blankets around our heads and ______ on top of the snowdrifts. We made it about a mile up the road to a neighbor’s farmhouse where we ______ for the next mile walk home. We all made it ______ home that night.
Christmas was very ______ that year. It didn’t matter if there were _____ or not under the tree the next morning. We each got our gift—the gift of life, home with our family safe and sound. What better gift is there? None.
1.A. hid B. lived C. relaxed D. waited
2.A. or B. so C. but D. since
3.A. predicted B. discovered C. remembered D. experienced
4.A. bad B. unique C. cold D. quiet
5.A. popular B. enjoyable C. important D. memorable
6.A. ordered B. forced C. invited D. refused
7.A. kind B. strict C. smart D. curious
8.A. fact B. result C. problem D. message
9.A. gave in B. set out C. moved on D. turned back
10.A. working B. waiting C. sleeping D. studying
11.A. wiser B. crazier C. more dangerous D. more interesting
12.A. desired B. expected C. opposite D. forward
13.A. excuse B. promise C. change D. decision
14.A. call B. warn C. criticize D. persuade
15.A. snow B. garage C. church D. backyard
16.A. danced B. drove C. walked D. stayed
17.A. woke up B. got out C. looked out D. warmed up
18.A. safely B. regularly C. suddenly D. proudly
19.A. busy B. strange C. special D. traditional
20.A. rewards B. meals C. leaves D. gifts
根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项, 选项中有两项为多余选项。
Since the 1980s eco-tourism has grown and grown. It is the fastest growing type of tourism.
If done well, eco-tourism has several advantages. It is kinder to the environment. 1.This means that more natural habitat is protected and that the resources for building come from sustainable (可持续的) sources.Another advantage is that people in the developed world through eco-tourism get to experience places of great natural importance as well as communicating with local people. 2.
However, there are some disadvantages of eco-tourism. It is felt by some environmentalists that any human activity will cause disorder in the routine of animals. 3.
Another problem for local people is that they are expected to pose for cameras and dance etc. for money. 4.The tourists are destroying the culture that they are paying to protect.
Eco-tourism tries to go to the places far away from other communities. 5.There is nothing stopping people taking money from tourists as well as doing environmentally unfriendly activities.
It seems that the disadvantages often outweigh the advantages of eco-tourism. It might be better to take pictures of animals rather than kill animals, but given the choice the animals would sooner not have people around. It seems whether eco-tourism should be allowed should be judged case-by-case, and that the local people must be considered.
A. These places are often not well policed.
B. People walking through the forest may do much harm.
C. And these activities will also damage the eco-system.
D. It seldom ends people to untouched parts of the world.
E. This is good for both parties: they both can better understand each other.
F. And it encourages developers to consider the natural environment more.
G. It discourages the local people from pursuing their traditional life styles.
In this Pennsylvania city, Pittsburgh is shrinking but getting wealthier. Since 2000, its population has declined by 95,000 while its income per capita (人均) has shot up 24 percent. The trend is taking hold in many other cities, like Buffalo in New York, Providence in Rhode Island and New Orleans.
Some of these areas have created more high-paying jobs in energy, health care or education. Others have managed to reshape their producing industry for a new economy. Higher-paying jobs have a greater effect because they create demand for additional services. "The story in Pittsburgh is very positive, and other areas are looking at it as an example of the transformation that might be possible，”said Guhan Venkatu, who wrote an economic history of the area called “Rust and Renewal” for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh have helped bring tech jobs and innovation(革新) to the area by sponsoring tech centers that help graduates start companies without moving to Silicon Valley or San Francisco. This has helped keep Pittsburgh's educated young population growing even as the entire population in the city has dropped.
Pittsburgh has more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs than other shrinking cities, about 80, 000 or 7% of all jobs. STEM jobs add productivity and income growth to the area. Manufacturers of high-tech medical equipment in the Pittsburgh area also have doubled employment in the last 10 years.
However, some experts question whether growing income per capita can really make up for a declining population. According to Patrick Adler, a researcher at the University of Toronto, population loss does matter if it means lower-skilled workers have fled because of a lack of opportunity. What's more, high-paying jobs in education and health care can disappear if the population declines too greatly. So it'd be wise to find ways to increase the population.
1.In what aspect does Pittsburgh set a good example?
A. Transforming old energy into new energy.
B. Creating more well-paid jobs.
C. Prohibiting the manufacturing.
D. Sponsoring higher education.
2.How do some academic institutions help with the local economy?
A. By helping to attract more talents from other areas.
B. By providing much technical support to local companies.
C. By hosting tech centers for local educated graduates.
D. By assisting in employing a large number of educated youths.
3.Why is Patrick Adler mentioned in the last paragraph?
A. To show the disadvantage of a declining population.
B. To suggest increasing high-paying jobs.
C. To raise doubts about growing income per capita.
D. To tell a reason why lower-skilled workers flee.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. How Fast Job Growth Is Related to Population Growth
B. How Less-crowded Cities Plan Their High-tech Economy
C. Why Some Cities Are Losing People but Getting Wealthier
D. Why Some Cities Are Suffering From a Shrinking Population
Nine years ago, a few days before Christmas, I was a director at a company in San Francisco, and I was called into a meeting that was already in progress. That meeting turned out to be my exit interview. I was 64 years old at the time. It wasn’t completely unexpected. I signed a pile of papers and left the company.
So, 40 plus years of employment was over. I had a good reputation and background. Retirement was not a choice for me. I wanted to do something. And then an idea came into my mind, born from my concern for our environment. I wanted to build my own business, designing and producing biodegradable(可生物降解的)packaging from waste. This is called clean technology, and it was really meaningful to me. It could help reduce billions of pounds of single-use plastic packaging wasted each year.
Five years later, I’m delighted and proud to share with you that our income has doubled every year and we have no debt. Meanwhile, I have a wonderful partner, and we’ve won more than 20 awards for the work that we’ve done.
And I am doing the most rewarding and meaningful work of my life right now. But what I really long for is to find other first-time entrepreneurs(企业家)who are my age. I want to connect with them.
So I want to do something about that in a few years. I want us to start talking more about people who don’t become entrepreneurs until they are seniors. And then connecting all of them across industries, regions and countries—building a community.
1.What happened to the author nine years ago?
A. He retired from his former company. B. He failed an interview.
C. He had a good family background. D. He changed his job to a better one.
2.Why was the new business meaningful to the author?
A. It was beneficial to the environment.
B. It developed a clean technology.
C. It provided jobs for lots of people.
D. It brought in quite a lot of money.
3.What is the author’s attitude to the development of his own company?
A. Cautious. B. Disappointed. C. Ambiguous. D. Positive.
4.What does the author plan to do in the future?
A. To do something else about environment.
B. To help people who want to become successful.
C. To meet more people from different backgrounds.
D. To build a community for senior entrepreneurs.
There are many programs for high school students today that help lonely teenagers deal with loneliness. However, loneliness is not only an issue for teens but also an important and rarely acknowledged one in the elderly.
In Britain, Tracey Crouch was appointed to be the first Minister of Loneliness in order to address the issues caused by loneliness. This is the first time such a position has been created.
In Britain, there are around 9 million people who say they are lonely frequently. In Germany, a study conducted by Ruhr University Bochum found that 20 percent of people over the age of 85 felt lonely, and 14 percent of those between age 45 and 65 felt socially lonely. In the United States, more than 25 percent of the population lives alone, more than 50 percent are unmarried.
Loneliness is generally associated with heart disease, overweight, and anxiety. Additionally, the stress from loneliness can cause your cells to change on a molecular(分子)level that reduces its abilities to defend your body against diseases. In fact, doctors believe having feelings of loneliness is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes per day in regard to its effect on health!
In Britain, the new Minister of Loneliness will help introduce government policies on the issue and fund a charity—an organization for helping people in need, to devote their efforts towards aiding loneliness. There are charities that link lonely seniors to high school students in order to give them a line of communication whenever they feel lonely!
The possibilities for the new Minister of Loneliness are endless. For example, she can provide education services to household businesses so that they can identify lonely customers if they see one. Loneliness fits into the category of being a social issue that must be monitored by the entire community in order to help those in need. Therefore, government involvement in medical services and care for seniors and others is vital for happy seniors.
1.How does the author develop Paragraph 3?
A. By listing some statistics.
B. By giving examples of lonely people.
C. By pointing out similarities and differences.
D. By comparing different cultures in different countries.
2.What does the underlined word “equivalent” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Relevant. B. Similar.
C. Opposite. D. Superior.
3.What will the Minister of Loneliness do?
A. Do housework for lonely people.
B. Develop friendships with the elderly.
C. Help fund charities to aid lonely people.
D. Communicate with anxious school students.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A. UK becomes the capital of loneliness. B. Loneliness affects old people’s life worldwide.
C. Many teenagers suffer from loneliness. D. UK’s Minister of Loneliness settles loneliness.
With its snow-covered mountains and a variety of wildlife, Yellow Stone National Park is one of the scenic treasures of the United States. Located primarily in Wyoming, the park hosts millions of visitors every year. If you plan to travel within the park, keep in mind advice from the National Park Service.
Seasonal Travel
Travel varies vastly from season to season. Roads are generally open in the summer except for cases of rock or mud slides, wild fires, accidents or road construction. Early snows in the fall can cause some roads to close temporarily. In the winter almost all roads are closed to motor vehicles, but snowmobiles and other snow vehicles with tracks are allowed. Roads begin to open for the spring by the latter part of April but can close if snowfall continues.
Driving Time
Grand Loop is the main road through Yellowstone National Park; it passes by most of the major attractions. These include Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The maximum speed limit on the Grand Loop is 45 miles per hour, but the speed limit drops during some of the winding and twisting sections of this narrow road. Allow yourself at least two days to fully travel the loop due to the size of the park and being sometimes stuck in heavy traffic.
Safety Awareness
Buffalo(水牛)often block the roads in the park as they move through the fields. If a group is traveling across the road you are on, you can either wait for them to pass or find an alternative route. If you get out of your vehicle, the National Park Service says to stay at least 25 yards from any buffalo (and 100 yards or more away from bears and wolves). Buffalo are particularly unpredictable and charge people at speeds up to 30 mph.
You can take your bicycle on any public roads and routes designed for bikes, but bicycles are not allowed on the park roads which are narrow with few shoulders. Altitudes range from 5, 300 to 8, 860 feet. The National Park Service recommends cyclists wear helmets and noticeable clothing.
1.What do we know about travelling in the Yellowstone Park?
A. Roads will stay open in case of emergency.
B. Traffic jam happens from time to time.
C. The driving speed on the road can be 50 mph.
D. Motor vehicles are allowed in the winter.
2.What does the National Park Service suggest people do about safety?
A. Stay inside the car throughout the travel.
B. Get out of their vehicles when coming across the Buffalo.
C. Wear the easy-to-see clothes while bicycling.
D. Avoid bicycling on the public roads.
3.From which is the text probably taken?
A. A guidebook.
B. A commercial advertisement.
C. A research paper.
D. A geography textbook.
