Being highly successful in any field is pretty rare. It takes a combination of natural talent, luck, determination, and plenty of outside support for someone to make it big in sports, entertainment, or business. But what if competing is all that matters to you, whether you are likely to succeed or not? This was the goal of Michael Eddie the Eagle Edwards, and that he reached that goal was an amazing achievement.
Born in the U.K. in 1963, Michael was an enthusiastic downhill skier whose dream was to compete for Britain in world-class competitions. He would have liked to represent his country in the 1984 Winter Olympics, but there were a large number of downhill competitors, and Edwards didn't qualify. Seeing his chance elsewhere, he switched to ski jumping. Ski jumping didn't cost nearly as much, and there was almost no competition for a place on the Britain team.
But number of hurdles (障碍)could have meant the end of Edwards' dream. He weighed more than most competitors, which put him at a disadvantage. He had no financial support for his training. Poor eyesight meant that he had to wear glasses under his goggles (护目镜)- not a good thing when they steamed up at high altitudes. But he couldn't let any of this discourage him. He saw himself as a true lover of the sport who simply wanted the chance to compete. Winning wasn't the point. Having the opportunity to try was all he cared about. And nothing could stop him from trying.
In the end, Edwards took 55th place in the 1987 World Championships. He then went on to the Calgary Olympics in 1988, where he finished last in both of his events. Many athletes would have been embarrassed by this result, but he is proud of his achievement to this day. His determination to fight against all the odds made him a global hero, and in 2016, the inspiring film Eddie the Eagle was made about his life.
1.What is the purpose of the first paragraph?
A. To add some background information.
B. To uncover the secret of success.
C. To expect an answer from readers.
D. To introduce the topic.
2.Why did Michael Edwards choose ski jumping?
A. It took less skill.
B. The equipment was cheaper.
C. There was little competition.
D. It was easy to win the championship.
3.After the Calgary Olympics, Edwards _________.
A. felt he had reached his goal
B. was embarrassed by his results
C. switched to film making
D. was glad it was over
4.What made Michael Edwards outstanding?
A. His determination to win.
B. His enthusiasm for the sport.
C. His attitude towards the Olympics.
D. His ability to overcome physical disabilities.
The killdeer, a small bird known for its high-pitched(声调高的)call, could lead to the cancellation(取消) of one of Canada’ biggest music festivals.
The first hint of trouble for Ottawa’s Bluesfest, an outdoor festival that draws around 300,000 people each year, came last week after workers at the site found one of the birds.It had laid four eggs nearby, effectively claiming the main stage area as its nesting ground.“This is one of the most challenging problems we’ve been presented with, but we feel we can work through this,” said Mark Monahan, executive director of the festival.“Anything that changes the schedule has a major effect, so we’re taking it very seriously.”
The discovery meant that government officials rushed to protect the nest and the eggs, hiring a security guard to watch over them 24 hours a day.
Environmentalists were also brought in.“We don’t know when the eggs might hatch,” said Monahan. What is known is that the young killdeer will likely leave the nest soon after they are hatched, leading many to hope that the eggs hatch in the next day or so.
The festival is now seeking permission from Environment Canada to relocate(搬迁)the nest some 50 meters away or take it to a wildlife center.Moving the nest would also ensure the bird and its young would be protected during the festival’s 11-day run, said Monahan. It’s highly likely that the festival’s thousands of attendees would cause huge problems for the bird and its eggs.Monahan was confident that the festival would go on as planned, however.“Most of the people we’re working with are looking for a positive solution,” Monahan said.“There is no one saying that the festival can’t go on.”
As news of the dilemma spread, it left residents divided. Some supported the bird, saying that moving the nest might result in the eggs being abandoned.Others expressed annoyance that protecting the eggs of the small bird, which is widespread across North America, was risking an annual festival that contributes millions of dollars to the local economy.
The killdeer’s tendency to build its nest in open fields or flat areas has caused issues in other areas of the US: earlier this year, construction of a health center in Wisconsin was temporarily stopped after a killdeer and its four eggs were discovered.
1.What can we learn about Bluesfest?
A.It is the first music festival in Canada.
B.It is an important event for music lovers.
C.It is a music festival held every two years.
D.It is a challenging outdoor activity in Ottawa.
2.What was especially challenging for Bluesfest this year?
A.Pressure from the government.
B.Disagreements with the public.
C.The need to protect the bird’s eggs.
D.The lack of experience in hosting the event.
3.How did the festival plan to deal with the problem?
A.Move the nest to another place. B.Ask government officials for help.
C.Seek advice from environmentalists. D.Hire security guards to protect the eggs.
4.The underlined word “dilemma” is closest in meaning to “______”.
A.a difficult situation B.an extreme situation
C.a dangerous situation D.an encouraging situation
Here list some biggest and best bookstores in Beijing:
Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore
It is the one of the best bookstores in Beijing and largest chain bookshop in China with thousands of branches. It offers a large collection of books involving politics, economics, literature, education, art and science, with a total number of nearly 200,000 books. VCDs, DVDs and digital reading materials can also be found in the bookshop.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 21:30
Location: No.218, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District (next to Oriental Plaza)
China Bookstore
As one of the best bookstores in Beijing, it is not a very big one, but it offers many traditional Chinese literature works. The new books here are at an 80% discount normally, while there are some second hand books as well at much cheaper prices. Additionally, you will find an impressive selection of books on Chinese painting, calligraphy and photography.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (Weekdays)
Location: No.115, East Liulichang Street, Xicheng District
Beijing Language and Culture University Press Bookstore
This is the best one from which to buy Chinese language learning books of all levels. There are also dictionaries, encyclopedias, linguistic books and reading materials from which to choose.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (Weekdays) 09:00 - 16:00 (Weekends)
Location: Chengfu Rd, Haidian District
Beijing Book Building
There is a great variety of books from which you may choose. In this biggest bookstore in Beijing, you will find books written in English in the basement, and there are many Chinese language learning materials on the third floor. The personnel in the bookshop are very helpful, and they speak English.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 21:00
Location: No.17, West Changan Avenue, Xicheng District
1.Where are you most likely to find affordable new books at a lower price?
A.Chengfu Rd, Haidian District.
B.No.218, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District.
C.No.17, West Changan Avenue, Xicheng District.
D.No.115, East Liulichang Street, Xicheng District.
2.Which bookstore has the longest opening hours on weekdays?
A.China Bookstore.
B.Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore.
C.Beijing Language and Culture University Press Bookstore.
D.Beijing Book Building.
3.What is special about Beijing Book Building?
A.It sells Chinese language learning books.
B.It features the largest variety of books.
C.It has many floors and sections.
D.Its staff can communicate in English.
Hybrid cars, also called hybrid electric vehicles （HEVs）, are cars that use more than one source of energy to run. They differ from the majority of cars on the road today in several ways. The main difference is that HEVs run on gasoline and electricity. An HEV car has a battery-powered motor as well as an engine that runs on gasoline.
A hybrid car is a bit more expensive to produce than a regular car even though its engine is smaller. The reason for the greater expense is that the engine is more complex. It has specialized mechanisms that allow it to operate using gasoline and electric power. It also contains a computer that works differently from those of regular cars. Even though it is more expensive to purchase, it costs less to own than gas-powered cars. When an HEV car is at a stoplight or going at a speed below 15 miles per hour, its special computer tells it to run just on electric power. When the computer senses that the car needs more power, it puts the gasoline engine back to work. The computer is constantly deciding whether the car will use electricity, gas, or a combination of the two.
Because the HEV has electric power to help it run, it uses much less fuel than most cars. In fact hybrid cars are the most fuel-efficient cars that exist today. They can get from 50 to 60 miles per gallon on average. The high mileage saves money for the car owner and conserves precious supplies of petroleum. Hybrid cars help the environment in other ways too. For example, when
the HEV is using electric power, it does not send out poisonous smoke that pollute the air.
Despite the differences between hybrid cars and regular cars, HEVs offer the same feel as regular cars. They handle the same way and speed up and stop in the same way too. HEVs, though, are generally smaller than gasoline-powered cars. Their rounded, aerodynamic frame helps add to their fuel efficiency but unfortunately does not add to the amount of space inside the vehicle.
1.Which statement best explains the characteristics of an HEV?
A.Safe and reliable. B.Expensive but long-lasting.
C.Smaller engine, greater power. D.High price, low carbon.
2.The transformation between the gasoline and electricity in an HEV is operated by ________.
A.the engine B.the battery
C.the computer D.the driver
3.For what purpose was the HEV invented?
A.To save energy. B.To provide better service.
C.To lower the expense of purchase. D.To give the drivers a different feeling.
4.Where does the passage probably come from?
A.A health report. B.A science magazine.
C.A vehicle advertisement. D.A travel journal.
Rescue workers and thousands of volunteers are not the only ones who have won hearts and minds for their heroic efforts in the search for survivors after Tuesday's powerful earthquake in
Mexico. Fifteen dogs from the navy's canine（军犬）unit have assisted this week in the rescue efforts at the sites of collapsed buildings across Mexico City, where more than 50 people have been pulled alive from the ruins.
Of the canine heroes none is more famous or loved than Frida, a six-year-old white Labrador who in her distinguished service has won praise for her ability to detect people who have been trapped by various natural disasters. Over her admirable career she has found 52 people including 12 survivors in Mexico and other Latin American countries.
This week, Frida and Evil and Echo—two Belgian Shepherds that have also been specially trained for rescue efforts一were sent to the site of the collapsed Enrique Rebsamen School in southern Mexico City.
Equipped with goggles that protect her eyes from dust and smoke, boots to prevent damage to her paws while she climbs over rough ruins, Frida took to her work looking every bit the part of the ruins.
If Frida detects the presence of a survivor, she is trained to bark to alert rescue workers but if she detects a corpse she stops suddenly before proceeding, her handler explained.
Eleven children were rescued from ruins at the school but this time human rescue workers rather than the dogs were the ones who located them.
However, that hasn't stopped Frida from becoming a social media star and reaching a new level of fame this week. Videos and other social media posts that highlight the work of Frida and her impressive record of detecting people trapped by natural disasters spread quickly online.
While she has yet to detect anyone trapped in the ruins this week, she and other rescue dogs are continuing to work tirelessly, searching through spaces that humans cannot reach. With the possibility that there are still people trapped alive, time will tell whether she adds to her rescue record.
1.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.Severe earthquakes in Mexico B.Undertaking rescue work.
C.People waiting for rescue D.Special rescuers in Mexico.
2.What makes Frida a social media star?
A.Her rescue records and tireless work.
B.Her cooperation with the rescue team.
C.Her cool appearance with some special devices.
D.Her ability to search spaces beyond humans' reach.
3.What does the underlined word "corpse" in paragraph 5 probably mean?
A.An article of clothing. B.An unconscious animal.
C.A dead person. D.A special signal.
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that_______ .
A.Frida will achieve nothing
B.Frida will probably work miracles
C.more dogs will be sent to the area
D.the rest of the rescue will be done by dogs
Parker Stewart, a 16-year-old from Sayre School, a college preparatory school in the United States, knew last year that he wanted his independent study on the environment to have a broad impact on the community. In order to "reduce the carbon footprint," Stewart planned to produce enough solar energy to power the school's science labs. Now his plan is set to happen. The installation of 30 solar panels is scheduled for late January.
As he began his research on solar energy, he discovered a useful phone app. By entering an address, he could find out how much sunlight the location receives each day. Based on how much sunlight it receives, Stewart found that his school building was the desired position.
At the suggestion of his science teacher, Debbie Wheeler, Parker first performed an energy audit（测算）of the science lab to see how much energy a typical lab uses per day. Then, he started his research, contacting a local installer of solar panels, Synergy Home, to do the job.
Parker lacked money for launching the project, so he convinced Sayre's head of school to fund him after explaining the benefits of solar power for the school and community. Since Sayre provided the initial seed money to provide supplies and the purchase of one panel, the project has grown to include a total of 30 panels. They are expected to generate enough energy to run all four of the science labs on campus.
"It feels like a dream to think that an idea I had resulted from my AP Environmental class would have this kind of impact," said Stewart, expressing gratitude for Wheeler's help.
Wheeler said the success of the project was due to Parker's efforts and willingness to follow through on the project from start to finish.
“I've had other students talk about environmental initiatives on campus, but Parker had the persistence to make it happen," she said.
1.How did the app help Stewart start his project?
A.To find an ideal location. B.To conduct an energy audit.
C.To look up specific information. D.To introduce financial aids.
2.Who invested in Stewart's project at the beginning?
A.Sayre School. B.His parents.
C.Synergy Home. D.His community.
3.What inspired Stewart to do his solar power project?
A.The phone app he discovered.
B.The air pollution in his community.
C.A suggestion from his science teacher.
D.An idea from his Environmental class.
4.What contributed to Stewart's success according to Wheeler?
A.His wisdom. B.His bravery.
C.His willpower. D.His independence.
