Two British teachers have broken the world record for the longest journey in a tuk-tuk after pulling their failing vehicle for 43 miles. Richard Sears and Nick Gough traveled 37,500 kilometers around the world and passed through 37 countries. They did this to support grassroots education project in Africa, Asia and South America.
The pair, who set off from London, thought their expedition was over when the vehicle started to fail. When the tuk-tuk broke, they were only 70 kilometers from their destination. They decided to pull it the rest of the way. The tuk-tuk, which weighs 800 kilograms, was pulled in turns by Rich and Nick over three days. On arrival in Chepen, Peru, they discovered a mechanic who specialized in tuk-tuks and managed to fix it.
The pair were back on the road and aiming for their next goal. Along their journey they had to tackle deserts and jungles. They also survived close encounters with elephants in Uganda and Botswana and an accident in Malaysia. The greatest hardship on the tuk-tuk was the mountain ranges lying in their path, including the Alps, the Himalayas and the Andes.
Nick and Richard uncovered some inspirational projects across Africa, Asia and South America. They witnessed firsthand the educational challenges facing these areas today. They joined street children in the slums of Cairo, Khartoum, Kampala, Mumbai and Phnom Penh. They visited Congolese refugees (难民) in camps in Eastern Burundi. They witnessed how education could free sex-workers in Delhi and victims of human trafficking in Nepal.
The pair established The Tuk Tuk Educational Trust, a U.K. registered charity.
Talking bout their motivation, Richard said: “The world’s leaders have made a commitment to achieving universal primary education but, in spite of this pledge (誓言，承诺), over 57 million primary-aged children worldwide are still out of school; many more are in school, though still cannot access quality learning opportunities.”
1.Why did the two teachers travel the world?
A.To support an education project.
B.To create a new world record.
C.To entertain themselves.
D.To challenge themselves.
2.How far did the two teachers pull the tuk-tuk each day on average?
A.A little more than 30 kilometers. B.About 14 miles.
C.43 miles. D.70 kilometers.
3.What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A.How they realized their next goal.
B.Their exciting experience on the road.
C.The beautiful scenery of famous mountains.
D.The difficulties and dangers they faced in the journey.
4.Which of the following best describes the two teachers?
A.Curious and brave. B.Humorous and generous.
C.Courageous and responsible. D.Efficient and honest.
Up till about 130 years ago, newspapers in the United States attracted only the most serious readers. They used no illustration (插图) and the articles were about politics or business.
Two men changed that - Joseph Pulitzer bought the New York World and William Randolph Hearst of the New York Journal. Pulitzer bought the New York World in 1883. He changed it from a traditional newspaper into a very exciting one overnight. He added lots of illustrations and he told his reporters to write articles on every crime they could find. And they did. One of them-a woman reporter, even pretended she was mad and was sent to a hospital. She then wrote many articles about the poor treatment of patients in those hospitals where mad men were kept.
In 1895, Hearst came to New York from California. He wanted the Journal to be more exciting than the World. He also wanted it to be cheaper, so he lowered the price to a penny. Hearst attracted attention because his newspaper headings were bigger than anyone else’s. He often says, “Big print makes big news.”
Pulitzer and Hearst did anything they could to sell newspapers. For example, Hearst sent Frederic Remington, the famous illustrator, to draw pictures of the Spanish-American War. When he got there, he told Hearst that no fighting was going on, Hearst answered, “You provide the pictures. I’ll provide the war.”
1.What kind of news did American newspapers carry 130 years ago?
A.Only serious matters. B.All kinds of exciting news.
C.Crimes and mad people. D.The treatment of patients in hospital.
2.What can we know about the woman reporter in the second paragraph?
A.She helped Joseph Pulitzer buy the New York Journal.
B.She was forced to be mad and was sent to a hospital.
C.She learned a lot about the real life of the mad patients in hospital.
D.She made the newspaper from traditional to exciting.
3.Pulitzer and Hearst used all the means EXCEPT ________ to make newspapers exciting.
A.adding illustrations into newspapers
B.satisfying the needs of politicians
C.getting the reporters to write about crimes
D.printing big newspaper headings
4.What does this passage mainly talk about?
A.The difficulties that the newspaper owners faced.
B.Two most famous reporters of the United States.
C.Newspaper owners were fond of crimes and war.
D.Two important men changed newspapers greatly.
Travelers in America who want to experience the Wild West can now go to a holiday in the old style to see how the American pioneers traveled and lived.
Today’s travelers go by horse wagon like the old-time. They set up camp at night under the stars and learn to cook their meals over fires. They also learn to lead herds of cattle with present-day cowboys and try to bring wild horses into a corral (畜栏). For those who just want to pretend half way, the special holidays offer the chance to “rough it” during the day in the wagons but sleep at night in the comfort of fan air-conditioned ranch (牧牛场) complete with swimming pool, sauna and tennis courts.
In Wyoming the holiday makers will travel by wagon past ghost towns and cemeteries where pioneers and wild cowboys were buried. The route goes along the same track as the Pony Express riders who braved attacks from Indians and robbers to get the mail through to the Wild West. High Island Ranch in Wyoming at the foot of the Rocky Mountains is also an ideal place to go trout fishing and to ride wild horses. In Colorado, the modern-day pioneers can stay at Randy George’s ranch and try their hand at breaking-in horses and branding (打烙印) cattle. In New Mexico there will be a chance to help in driving cattle to their new summer pastures (牧场). Trips last for a week so those taking part get a chance to get a feel for the Wild West as it really was.
1.What is the author’s purpose by writing the passage?
A.To reveal the real life of the Wild West in the old time.
B.To tell the readers what they should prepare for special holidays.
C.To introduce some trips in which people can experience the Wild West.
D.To advertise for the most popular tourist attractions in America.
2.What does the underlined phrase “rough it” in paragraph 2 mean?
A.Make the travelers comfortable.
B.Live a hard and simple life.
C.Travel everywhere in the wagons.
D.Bring wild horses into a corral.
3.What can be inferred from paragraph 3?
A.Travelers will pass ghost towns to visit pioneers and wild cowboys.
B.People are not interested in how the pioneers traveled and lived.
C.It was not easy to deliver the mail to the Wild West in the old time.
D.The pioneers and wild cowboys in the old time led an easy life.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Who was the musical guest?
A.Lorde. B.Jimmy Fallon. C.Justin Timberlake.
2.What is Saturday Night Live?
A.A Broadway show. B.A dance performance. C.A television program.
3.Who did the silly dances?
A.Justin and Jimmy. B.Tina and Amy. C.Tina and Jimmy.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What will the man do this morning?
A.Drive the kids to school. B.Have a meeting. C.Meet the city leaders.
2.What is California’s main problem?
A.The price of water is too high.
B.The weather has been too rainy.
C.The winters have been too dry.
3.How much rain has fallen in the last two weeks?
A.Four inches. B.Nine inches. C.Ten inches.
4.What does the woman suggest they do in the end?
A.Travel to a famous desert.
B.Go skiing in the mountains.
C.Water the grass more often.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A.A storm. B.A dream. C.A movie.
2.What happened to the girl?
A.She got lost. B.She found a new land. C.She was saved by a dragon.
3.How can the man find out the dragon’s name?
A.By asking the woman. B.By searching online. C.By making a call.
