Reading Comprehension阅读理解

閱读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

（一）

A

Cruisecom， one of the Internets largest cruise resources， provides lots of cruise lines. Here are some of the most popular ones for you to choose from.

MSC Cruise

MSC Cruise ships combine true European beauty with Italian style. Activities are rich on board an MSC cruise. There is family fun at the Aqua Park. Kids will enjoy the WII and the 4-D Theater. Lasting from 2 to 22 days， MSC Cruise ships sail to the Caribbean， the Mediterranean， northern Europe and so on.

Carnival Cruise

On a Carnival Cruise ship there is always so much to do. There are pools， golf， a Seaside Theater and rich activities to keep kids and adults of all ages joyful. Kids love Camp Carnival and for a little quiet time adults can relax at the “Adult-Only” Serenity Retreat. Lasting from 3 to 17 days， Carnival ships sail to the Bahamas， the Caribbean， Mexico and so on.

Alaska Cruise

Alaska cruises show some of the most beautiful sights in the world. Alaska is a piece of America that offers great cruising， pure wilderness， attractive history and multi-cultural arts， lifestyles and communities throughout the state. Cruising to Alaska is a true part of the Alaska experience. Cruise line lasts from 5 to 19 days on all kinds of cruise lines on ships large and small.

Celebrity Cruise

Celebrity ships are decorated with modern artwork. Life onboard is filled with rich activities， including Broadway-style shows， world class casinos， and clubs where you can dance the night away. Lasting from 3 to 24 days， Celebritys eleven ships sail to Alaska， Asia， Australia & New Zealand and so on.

1. Where can kids watch a 4-D film？

A. Alaska Cruise. B. Carnival Cruise.

C. MSC Cruise. D. Celebrity Cruise.

2. What can you do in Carnival Cruise？

A. Learning history. B. Playing golf.

C. Enjoying modern artwork. D. Experiencing Italian culture.

3. What do Alaska Cruise and Celebrity Cruise have in common？

A. They can reach Alaska. B. They have the same number of activities.

C. They last 19 days at least. D. They have their ships decorated with modern artwork.

B

The very wealthy English Baron Fitzgerald had only one child， a son， who understandably was the apple of his eye. His wife died when the child was in his early teens. So Fitzgerald devoted himself to fathering the kid. Unluckily， the son died in his late teens.

Meanwhile， Fitzgeralds wealth greatly increased. He spent a lot on art works of the masters.

Later Fitzgerald himself became seriously ill. Before his death， he had carefully prepared his will as to how his wealth would be settled—to sell his entire collection at an auction （拍賣）.

Because of the large quantity and high quality of his collection， a huge crowd of possible buyers gathered for the auction. Many of them were museum directors and private collectors eager to bid （出价）. Before the auction， the art works were shown， among which was a painting of Fitzgeralds son by an unknown artist. Because of its poor quality， it received little attention.

When it was time for the auction， the auctioneer gaveled （敲槌） the crowd to attention. First the lawyer read from Fitzgeralds will that the first art work to be auctioned was the painting of his son.

The poor-quality painting didnt receive any bidders… except one—the old servant who had served the son and loved him， and who for emotional reasons offered the only bid.

As soon as the servant bought the painting for less than one English pound， the auctioneer stopped the bidding and asked the lawyer to read again from the will. The crowd became quiet， and the lawyer read from the will， “Whoever buys the painting of my son gets all my collection.” Then the auction was over.

4. What was Baron Fitzgerald？

A. A museum director. B. A lawyer.

C. An art collector. D. An artist.

5. Why did the old servant bid for the painting of Fitzgeralds son？

A. He loved the son. B. He saw that no one bid for it.

C. He knew the content of the will. D. He found it cheap for him to buy.

6. What kind of person was the old servant？

A. Proud. B. Kind. C. Honest. D. Clever.

7. What can be the best title of the text？

A. The Auction B. One Painting for All

C. The Servant at the Auction D. The wealthy Englishman

C

The iPhone， the iPad： each of Apples products sounds cool and has become a fashion. Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i”—and many other brands are following suit. The BBCs iPlayer—which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet—used the title in 2015. A lovely bear—popular in the US and UK—that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”.

In general， single-letter prefixes （前缀） have been popular since the 1990s， when terms like e-mail first came into use.

Most “i” products are aimed at young people and considering the major readers of independents “i”. Its no surprise that theyve selected this fashionable name.

But its hard to see whats so special about the letter “i”. Why not use “a”， “b”， or “c” instead？ According to Tony Thorne， head of the Language Center at Kings College， London， “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses “i”， no one knows whether it means Internet， information， individual or interactive， Thorne told BBC Magazines. “Even when Apple created the iPod， it seems it didnt have one clear definition，” he says.

“However， thanks to Apple， the term is now connected with portability （轻便），” adds Thorne.

Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs， and we love personalized products for this reason.

Along with “Google” and “Microblog”， readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last ten years.

But as history shows， people grow tired of fashions. From the 1900s to 1990s， products with “2000” in their names became fashionable as the year was connected with all things advanced and modern. However， as we entered the new century， the fashion disappeared.

8. What do people use the BBCs iPlayer to do according to Paragraph 1？

A. To make a call. B. To listen to music.

C. To read newspapers. D. To watch TV programs online.

9. What does the underlined word “ambiguous” in Paragraph 4 mean？

A. Popular. B. Interesting. C. Uncertain. D. Unique.

10. According to Paragraph 6 the letter “i” has something to do with ___ .

A. Apples products B. the Internet

C. the Western culture D. information technology

11. What can we infer from the last paragraph？

A. “i” products are of high quality. B. Fashions dont necessarily change with time.

C. The popularity of “i” products may not last long. D. Products with “2000” are popular in new century.

D

A severe storm can be a disaster if there are no enough plants to absorb the large quantities of water. Not long ago， a sudden rain in Los Angeles killed twenty people. But despite its suddenness， a rainstorm—or any rainfall—is the result of a complex chain of events.

I used to think that rain was started when the cloud somehow forced out its water， as we would press a sponge （海綿）. But its not the way it happens.

The tiny droplets （水滴） that create a cloud are far apart from each other. They are actually as far apart， if we think about their size， as the earth and the moon are. Yet there are so many of them in a cloud that they seem to form something huge， just like how the Milky Way is formed. Each of the cloud droplets may be less than 1/10，000 of an inch across， yet they are floating by themselves， in millions.

Each droplet changes as the air condition changes. When its size increases， it becomes heavier， until the air can no longer hold it up. Then it begins to fall.

A raindrop can be about a million times the size of a cloud droplet. When the drops reach a width of about 1/200 of an inch， they are likely to fall as a gentle mist （霧）. At 1/50 of an inch， and if there is little wind， they will fall at about the same speed， and the earth receives no more than a light rain. But when wind mixes the drops of different sizes falling at different speeds， the bigger drops will overtake the smaller， slower ones. They will combine into bigger and bigger drops. It is just in this way that the heavy drops of a thunderstorm are formed.

12. Under what condition is it likely for us to see a rain？

A. There is a sudden wind. B. Cloud droplets are too heavy to float.

C. The cloud presses out its water. D. There are no enough plants on the ground.

13. What does the writer want to explain by mentioning the earth and the moon？

A. What cloud really is. B. The distance between droplets.

C. How big a droplet is. D. The formation of the Milky Way.

14. What is the major difference between a mist and a light rain？

A. The strength of winds. B. The speed they fall.

C. The size of the droplets. D. The damage they cause.

15. What is necessary for a light rain to change into a heavy one？

A. The cloud. B. The storm. C. The thunder. D. The wind.

（二）

A

Family Activities in Hawaii

Kids get bored easily， but they wont be in Hawaii. To help you and your kids plan for that perfect Hawaiian vacation， here are some of activities you can enjoy at Hawaiis main islands.

Kauai

To start off， keep your kids busy by letting them explore Hawaiis art， culture， history， and unique geography hands-on at the Kauai Childrens Discovery museum. Exciting activities your kids will enjoy at this museum include star observing， creating artworks and rock climbing.

Oahu

Oahu is another island that offers plenty of activities the whole family will enjoy. If you want to pet a dolphin or sea lion， you can go to the Sea Life Park. Also get a sight of life underwater through their Sea Trek Adventure activity where you go 18 feet. underwater for a human-and-fish meet and greet.

Molokai

Enjoy Molokais laid-back atmosphere by visiting the Molokai Horse & Wagon Ride. The horse and wagon ride usually starts at the mango grove. Another good idea is to visit the Big Wind Kite Factory to see how kites are made and fly one of your own. Learn kite-flying and kite-making techniques and let kids pilot their own kites.

Big Island

Aside from the beaches， Hawaii is especially known for its volcanoes. And if you go to the Big Island， you can let your family experience several of these volcanoes by visiting the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Watch up close a live volcano gently spewing lava at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for an unforgettable yet educational experience.

1. Where can you go for children to see sea animals？

A. Kauai. B. Oahu. C. Molokai. D. Big Island.

2. What skills can children learn on Molokai？

A. Riding a horse. B. Creating artworks.

C. Making kites. D. Running a factory.

3. What  makes the visit to Big Island memorable？

A. The live volcanoes. B. The scenery of the island.

C. The beaches. D. The education program.

B

For her ninth birthday， Marielle Mauri asked for some unusual birthday gifts： soap， shampoo， paper towels， cups， and so on. But Marielle didnt want these presents for herself. She wanted to give them to other people.

At school， Marielles teacher taught， “You cant always be self-centered. You have to be other-centered.” Marielles class had helped collect supplies for a school in Nigeria. But Marielle wanted to do more.

With help from her parents， Marielle researched local charities and found a shelter （收容所） that helps women and children in need. After finding out what supplies the shelter needed， Marielle included a list with each party invitation. Her friends brought shelter supplies instead of birthday presents to Marielles party. People who couldnt come to her party still gave gifts， as did her school. She had so many gifts that they filled her familys truck！ “It was like we were going on vacation，” Marielle said with a smile. “I couldnt even put my bag in there.” She said it was fun to watch the number of donations grow. In the end， she collected $650 in cash donations and more than $1，000 worth of supplies for the shelter.

When Marielle went with her parents to drop off the supplies， people at the shelter surprised her with another birthday party. They had made her a cake and gave her a card signed by everyone at the shelter.

Marielle hopes other children will hear about her special birthday and choose their own charity to support. “I felt really good when I did it，” she said. “Youre not just giving them something; youre helping them with their whole life.”

4. What did Marielle do for her ninth birthday？

A. She invited few people. B. She collected a lot of supplies.

C. She held a party for herself. D. She went on vacation with her parents.

5. Why did Marielle ask for many unusual birthday gifts？

A. To satisfy her own need. B. To show off to her friends.

C. To help a school in Nigeria. D. To support people in need.

6. What happened to Marielle at the shelter？

A. She got a lot of cards. B. Her parents made her a big cake.

C. Her parents gave her a great gift. D. She was surprised by a birthday party.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. A Happy Birthday for All B. Poor Life at the Shelter

C. Marielles Big Dream D. Unusual Supplies

C

Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning， people may send the wrong signal. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.

Different cultures emphasize （強调） the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example， business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work， it is necessary to spend a lot of time in “small talk”， usually over a glass of tea， before they do any job. In many European countries—like the UK or France—people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.

Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better， I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture， we express meanings mainly through words， but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.

Even within Northern Europe， cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly， English and German cultures share similar values; however， Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact， this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.

People from different parts of the world have different values， and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However， if we can understand them better， a multicultural environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.

8. Eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to ___ .

A. develop closer relations B. share the different culture

C. understand their different ideas better D. keep each other company

9. The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that ___ .

A. the English prefer to make long speeches B. too many words are of no use

C. Thailand people are quiet and shy by nature D. talk and silence can be culturally different

10. How can people from different cultures understand each other better？

A. By sharing different ways of life. B. By accepting different habits.

C. By understanding their values. D. By speaking each others languages.

11. What is the text mainly about？

A. The multicultural environment. B. Cross-cultural differences.

C. Peoples understanding each other. D. Relationship between people.

D

Reading can be a social activity. Think of the people who belong to book groups. They choose books to read and then meet to discuss them. Now， the website BookCrossing.com turns the page on the traditional idea of a book group.

Members go on the site and register （登记） the books they own and would like to share. BookCrossing provides an identification number to stick inside the book. Then the person leaves it in a public place， hoping that the book will have an adventure， traveling far and wide with each new reader who finds it.

Bruce Pederson， the managing director of BookCrossing， says， “The two things that change your life are the people you meet and books you read. BookCrossing combines both.”

Members leave books on park benches and buses， in train stations and coffee shops. Whoever finds their book will go to the site and record where they found it.

People who find a book can also leave a journal entry describing what they thought of it. E-mails are then sent to the BookCrossing to keep them updated about where their books have been found. Bruce Pederson says the idea is for people not to be selfish by keeping a book to gather dust on a shelf at home.

BookCrossing is part of a trend among people who want to get back to the “real” and not the virtual （虛拟）. The site now has more than one million members in more than one hundred thirty-five countries.

12. Why does the author mention book groups in Paragraph 1？

A. To explain what they are. B. To introduce BookCrossing.

C. To stress the importance of reading. D. To encourage readers to share their ideas.

13. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. The book. B. An adventure.

C. A public place. D. The identification number.

14. What will a BookCrosser do with a book after reading it？

A. Meet other readers to discuss it. B. Keep it safe in his bookcase.

C. Pass it on to another reader. D. Mail it back to its owner.

15. What does the text mainly tell us？

A. Online reading offers a virtual tour. B. E-books become a new trend.

C. A book group brings tradition back. D. A website links people through books.

（三）

A

If youre new to San Francisco， paying the city a visit， or simply looking for a new playground for you and your dog， here are four of the finest dog parks in San Francisco.

◆ Corona Heights Dog Park

Often visited by residents from all over the city because of its nearness to the Randall Museum， Corona Heights Dog Park offers pets and owners breathtaking views， after a steep hillside climb， and a fenced dog area that allows dogs to let loose without a leash （狗鏈）. Owners will also enjoy the playground， tennis courts and basketball courts.

◆ Dolores Dog Park

The grounds of Dolores Park once served as camps for those who were left homeless by the 1906 earthquake， but now often visited by crowds of Mission District people. Four-legged friends can also wander about carefree off-leash while making friends with other members of the doggie community.

◆ Pine Lake Dog Park

Noteworthy for its place as a rest stop for hundreds of species of birds to fly to and from warmer climates， Pine Lake Park is also prized by city dogs and their owners for their nice hiking paths， the picturesque lake suited for swimming， and an off-leash area on the parks west end that lets dogs run free.

◆ Buena Vista Dog Park

With a history of 146 years， Buena Vista Park is San Franciscos oldest park. Dogs and owners with plus energy will love burning it on this parks steep paths and winding staircases. Dog owners should have good control over their dogs， as its quite easy for dogs to get separated when going through Buena Vistas many twists and turns.

1. Why do dog owners take their pets to Dolores Dog Park？

A. To let them socialize. B. To give them training lessons.

C. To help them lose weight. D. To increase their physical activities.

2. Which dog park is popular with bird lovers？

A. Corona Heights Dog Park. B. Dolores Dog Park.

C. Pine Lake Dog Park. D. Buena Vista Dog Park.

3. What is special about Buena Vista Dog Park？

A. It is suitable for swimming. B. It is close to a museum.

C. Dogs must be on a leash. D. Dogs can go climbing.

B

Nothing could stop Dad. After he was put on disability for a bad back， he bought a small farm in the country， just enough to grow food for the family. He planted vegetables， fruit trees and even kept bees for honey.

And every week he cleaned Old Man McColgins chicken house in exchange for manure （肥料）. The smell really burned the inside of your nose. When we complained about the terrible smell， Dad said the stronger the manure， the healthier the crops， and he was right.

As the vegetables started coming in， Dad threw himself into cooking. One day， armed with a basket of vegetables， he announced he was going to make stew （燉菜）. Dad pulled out a pressure cooker and filled it up with cabbages， eggplants， potatoes， corns， onions and carrots. For about half an hour， the pressure built and the vegetables cooked. Finally， Dad turned off the stove， the pot began to cool and the pressure relief valve sprayed out a cloud of steam. If we thought Dads pile of chicken manure was bad， this was 10 times worse. When Dad took off the lid， the smell nearly knocked us out.

Dad carried the pot out and we opened doors and windows to air out the house. Just how bad was it？ The neighbors came out of their houses to see if we had a gas leak！

Determined， Dad filled our plates with steaming stew and passed them around. It didnt look that bad， and after the first wave had shut down my ability to smell， it didnt offend the nose so much， either. I took a taste. It would never win a prize in a cooking competition， but it was surprisingly edible （可食用的）， and we drank up every last drop of the soup！

4. Why did Dad clean Old Man McColgins chicken house regularly？

A. To set a good example to the family. B. To collect manure for his crops.

C. To get rid of the terrible smell. D. To earn some money for the family.

5. What can we learn about Dads stew？

A. It tastes quite good. B. It looks very wonderful.

C. It is popular among the neighbors. D. It contains honey and vegetables.

6. What does the underlined word “offend” in the last paragraph mean？

A. To attract. B. To upset. C. To cover. D. To shut.

7. What can we learn about Dad from the text？

A. He has a positive attitude to life. B. He suffers a lot from his disability.

C. He is a troublesome father. D. He is an experienced cook.

C

White chocolate， German chocolate， ice cream： There are hundreds of types of birthday cake in the world， each beautiful in its own sugary way. You are likely to enjoy one during at least one of your birthday parties. But in between delicious bites of cake， have you ever stopped and wondered， “Why am I eating this？ What makes this dessert fit to celebrate the day of my birth？”

Its because you are as important and beloved as the gods. Kind of.

The ancient Egyptians are thought to have “invented” the celebration of birthdays. They believed when pharaohs （法老） were crowned， they became gods， so their coronation （加冕） day was a pretty big deal. That was their “birth” as a god.

Ancient Greeks borrowed the tradition， but realized that a dessert would make the celebration all more meaningful. So they baked moon-shaped cakes to offer up to Artemis， goddess of the moon. They decorated them with lighted candles to make the cakes shine like the moon. Hence， it is the reason why we light candles on our birthday cakes.

Modern birthday parties are said to get their roots from the 18th century German celebration “Kinderfeste”. On the morning of a childs birthday， he or she would receive a cake with lighted candles that added up to the kids age， plus one. This extra candle was called the “light of life”， representing the hope of another full year lived.

And then， torture—because no one could eat the cake until after dinner. The family replaced the candles as they burned out. Finally， when the moment came， the birthday child would make a wish， try to blow out all the candles in one breath， and dig in. Like modern tradition， the birthday girl or boy wouldnt tell anyone the wish so it would come true.

Since the ingredients to make cakes were pretty expensive， this birthday custom didnt become popular until the Industrial Revolution. More ingredients were available， which made them cheaper， and bakeries even started selling pre-baked cakes.

8. Who established the tradition of celebrating birthdays with cakes according to the text？

A. Germans. B. Pharaohs. C. Ancient Greeks. D. Ancient Egyptians.

9. What does the underlined word “torture” in Paragraph 6 mean？

A. Pleasure. B. Replacement C. Sharing. D. Suffering.

10. Why was the birthday cake custom unpopular before the Industrial Revolution？

A. The transport was inconvenient. B. The ingredients of cakes were expensive.

C. The cake could not be eaten before dinner. D. The bakeries would not sell pre-baked cakes.

11. What is the text mainly about？

A. The origin of birthday cakes. B. The importance of birthday cakes.

C. The history of birthday parties. D. The introduction of cake production.

D

Scientists at the University of Hawaii at Manoa studied a huge area in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone， or CCZ to find and study new sea species.

Diva Amon， a researcher at the University says usually deep sea biologists think there is not a lot living in the deep sea.

“But we found that actually there is quite a lot living there， and so that was really exciting...” she says.

The group is studying the area because the CCZ， a huge and flat area of seabed， is known to have valuable minerals. The International Seabed Authority （ISA） is allowing the company UK Seabed Resources Ltd. to explore the area on the Pacific Ocean floor for mining （采礦）. However， the ISA said the company must first complete a biological study of the area before it can begin mining for metals. So， the company employed Amon and her group.

Amon says that more than half of the animals they collected were completely new to science. Her group discovered not only new species， but new genera （属） of animals.

Biological oceanographer Paul Snelgrove says that finding new species in the deep ocean is common. But， he said， finding a new genus “is really great”.

Amon warns that if mining happens across the whole area， the ecosystem would be largely destroyed. But， she says， we will find the least damaging way to make mining possible.

“There is a sort of scientific push to try and slow things down a bit so that the science can be done before... so it can be done with the least influence possible...” she says.

“Its likely we are going to develop at least some parts of these deep ocean environments and do it in a way thats going to minimize （最小化） our influence，” says Paul.

12. What did scientists try to find out in the CCZ？

A. Whether there is life. B. Whether there are valuable minerals.

C. What sea life exists there. D. What metals lie under the sea floor.

13. What is Amons attitude towards mining the CCZ？

A. Careful. B. Doubtful. C. Unsupportive. D. Uninterested.

14. What does Paul say about finding new sea species？

A. Its something unusual. B. Its nothing to be surprised at.

C. It has a far-reaching effect on science. D. It proves common species will change.

15. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to？

A. Mining. B. A scientific push.

C. Finding the least damaging way. D. Developing the ocean environments.

（四）

A

British Museum

Located in Great Russell Street， London WC1B 3DG， the British Museum houses a vast collection of world art and artifacts and is free to all visitors. The British Museums surprising collection spans over two million years of human history and culture， and it has more than 7 million objects， so it would probably take a week to see everything.

Over 6 million visitors every year experience the collection， including world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.

Admission （入场费） and opening times

Free， open daily from 10：00 to 17：30.

Open until 20：30 on Fridays， except Good Friday.

Closed on 24， 25 and 26 December and 1 January.

Large luggage （行李）， suitcases and cabin baggage

For everyones safety， all bags， packages and personal items may be searched before entry. Wheeled cases and large items of luggage are not allowed on British Museum for safety and security reasons. Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations， including Euston， Kings Cross and Charing Cross.

Membership

Membership allows you to discover two million years of human history with free unlimited entry to special exhibitions.

Individual （個人） membership： ?74

Under 26 membership： ?54

Young friends （ages 8—15）： ?25

Shops

The Museum has four shops where you can buy books， souvenirs， and family gifts.

1. When can you visit the British Museum？

A. At 9：00 Friday. B. At 12：00 Monday. C. On Christmas Day. D. On Good Friday.

2. Where can visitors store their large luggage？

A. At major train stations. B. At some crossings.

C. In the hall of the Museum. D. At the entrance to the Museum.

3. How much should a father and his 18-year-old son pay to be a member of the Museum？

A. ?79. B. ?99. C. ?128. D. ?148.

B

When Veronika Scott was a student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit， Michigan， she received a task to “design to fill a need”. She dreamed up an idea for overcoats that would double as sleeping bags， made 25 of them， and handed them out to people living in shelters on an abandoned city playground. While her efforts were greeted mostly with enthusiasm from those braving Detroits cold winters， one woman voiced dissatisfaction. “We dont need coats; we need jobs，” she told Veronika. Then she had her second inspiration （灵感）.

After graduating from college in 2012， Veronika founded the Empowerment Plan， a non-profit （非营利的） organization. She employed two homeless women to sew the coats and paid them with donations she received through her blog. Now， the Empowerment Plan employs about 20 people and has produced more than 10，000 coats and distributed （分发） them in 30 states， Canada， and elsewhere abroad.

“We dont require previous employment，” Veronika says. “Were looking for people who are motivated （上進的）.” The Empowerment Plan provides free classes and lends money to those who can meet the standards. Nearly all the employees finally move into permanent housing， and some go on to jobs in the auto industry and construction.

Veronika has bettered the coats design by making its outer layer of a lightweight material that avoids air， wind， and water and its inner layer of a material that stores body heat. Still， Veronika is less focused on the coats than on the workers who make them. “At the end of the day，” she says， “the coat is a vehicle for us to employ people.”

4. What was Veronikas second inspiration？

A. Founding a non-profit organization. B. Improving her coats design.

C. Profiting from the work of those low-paid people. D. Producing more coats and distributing them abroad.

5. What is the purpose of the Empowerment Plan？

A. To raise more donations. B. To design better clothes.

C. To provide help for the homeless. D. To offer free classes to the motivated.

6. Which of the following best describes Veronika？

A. Traditional but helpful. B. Strict and unsatisfied.

C. Generous but childish. D. Creative and caring.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Design to Fill a Need B. The Empowerment Plan

C. Look for Motivated People D. How to Design a Coat

C

The mind of an elephant should not be underestimated. They are intelligent animals born with both excellent memory and artistic talent. Elephants eat about 495 pounds of vegetarian food a day. They spend about 16 hours a day eating， but must walk about 4 miles a day in search of food. The average elephant lives about 70 years， and its sharp memory allows it to remember places where it has found food as long as 30 years earlier， even as a baby.

In an elephants travels， it comes across other elephants also looking for food. Some elephants are friendly， and some are not so nice. Elephants remember every elephant they have ever met. They can even recognize an elephant they perhaps havent seen for 30 years. They immediately remember whether this elephant is an enemy or a friend.

When elephants are not searching for food， they sometimes produce art in the sand with their trunks （象鼻）. They seem to enjoy just relaxing and painting in the sand. One day， an elephant zoo-keeper noticed this and gave an elephant a paint brush filled with red paint to see if the elephant would paint on a canvas （画布）. Sure enough， it did， and since then elephants in most zoos have been given paint brushes， paints， and canvases. The resulting abstract （抽象的） art has been sold for high prices around the world. The money goes to support feeding the elephants in the zoos. Most felt that the elephants were only able to paint abstracts. However， they have been trained to paint trees， flowers， and other things in nature. This has enabled us to understand “elephant genius” even more.

8. What does the underlined word “underestimated” in Paragraph 1 mean？

A. Underdeveloped. B. Undervalued. C. Misunderstood. D. Controlled.

9. What can we learn about elephants memory？

A. It can reach as far back as 30 years. B. It is at its best in the first 30 years.

C. It differs greatly among themselves. D. It remains excellent for 70 years.

10. Why did the zoo-keeper give the elephant a brush？

A. To attract visitors to it. B. To train it to paint pictures.

C. To prove it was a born artist. D. To find out whether it could paint.

11. Which can best describe elephants according to the text？

A. Really creative. B. Unusually quiet. C. Highly smart. D. Extremely friendly.

D

The worlds first robot police officer has started working. Its name is “RoboCop” and it went into service for the Dubai Police earlier this week. Robocops first official duty was to greet guests at the opening of a security conference （安全會议） in Dubai. Apart from greeting visitors， its job was to answer questions and give directions. RoboCop has a built-in tablet for people to interact with. People can use the tablet to pay traffic fines and use other smart police services. The tablet is linked to a police station， so people can talk to human police officers. In addition， RoboCop can speak six languages， including English and Arabic. The 170-centimetre-tall robot can also shake hands， salute （行礼） people and recognize peoples emotions and facial expressions.

Dubai Police says RoboCop is the first of many robot police officers for the city. A spokesman said that by 2030， 25 per cent of the Dubai Police force will be robots. He said， “We are looking to making everything smart in Dubai Police. By 2030， we will have the first smart police station which wont require human employees.”

“The RoboCop is the latest smart addition to the police force and has been designed to help us fight crime， keep the city safe and improve happiness levels，” he added. He also said that RoboCop would assist and help people in the malls or on the streets. An official at the security conference commented that the future is here now， saying， “The age of the robots is no longer coming. It has arrived.”

12. What was RoboCops first official duty？

A. To notice criminals in the crowd. B. To serve guests at a meeting.

C. To organize a security conference. D. To offer help to the people on the street.

13. What has made RoboCop “smart”？

A. Its good manners. B. Its built-in tablet.

C. Its language talent. D. Its ability to recognize people.

14. What can we learn from the spokesman？

A. Human police will work harder.

B. RoboCop has done a good job at the meeting.

C. A robot police station will come into being by 2030.

D. Robots will help Dubai Police do dangerous work.

15. What do the underlined sentences in the last paragraph mean？

A. The age of robots is now on the way. B. Robots will change the world.

C. Scientists are making smarter robots. D. The age of robots is already here.

（五）

A

Personal Robot

Make your parents and teachers happy！

Are you having problems finishing your homework on time？ Do you avoid tidying your room until your mom shouts at you？ You dont need to worry if you buy a Mr Helping Hand personal robot. Mr H can be programmed to organize your homework. Your own personal robot will follow you around， putting away books and objects that you have left on the floor or bed.

Mr H also has these features：

● weighs only 500 grams

● includes long-lasting batteries

● comes with a 5-year guarantee

● remembers simple instructions

Originally sold for $499

NOW ONLY $299

PENGO WATCH CONTROL

This is a watch that James Bond would be proud to wear！

This is NOT a watch for ordinary people！

Your electronic PENGO WATCH CONTROL

? acts as a remote control for TVs and videos.

? gives you a daily weather forecast.

? reminds you when to hand in your homework.

? sets off a silent warning alarm when parents or teachers are near.

Besides， your PENGO WATCH CONTROL will always tell you the time accurately！

Originally sold for $199

NOW ONLY $99

For more information， click here.

1. With the help from a Mr H， you can ___ .

A. stop using batteries B. finish your homework on time

C. remember your teachers instructions easily D. get your room tidied on your way home

2. How much you can save if you buy a PENGO WATCH CONTROL now？

A. $99. B. $100. C. $199. D. $200.

3. Where can you find the two texts most probably？

A. On a notice board. B. In a company brochure.

C. On a teenage website. D. In a college newspaper.

（五）

A

Personal Robot

Make your parents and teachers happy！

Are you having problems finishing your homework on time？ Do you avoid tidying your room until your mom shouts at you？ You dont need to worry if you buy a Mr Helping Hand personal robot. Mr H can be programmed to organize your homework. Your own personal robot will follow you around， putting away books and objects that you have left on the floor or bed.

Mr H also has these features：

● weighs only 500 grams

● includes long-lasting batteries

● comes with a 5-year guarantee

● remembers simple instructions

Originally sold for $499

NOW ONLY $299

PENGO WATCH CONTROL

This is a watch that James Bond would be proud to wear！

This is NOT a watch for ordinary people！

Your electronic PENGO WATCH CONTROL

? acts as a remote control for TVs and videos.

? gives you a daily weather forecast.

? reminds you when to hand in your homework.

? sets off a silent warning alarm when parents or teachers are near.

Besides， your PENGO WATCH CONTROL will always tell you the time accurately！

Originally sold for $199

NOW ONLY $99

For more information， click here.

1. With the help from a Mr H， you can ___ .

A. stop using batteries B. finish your homework on time

C. remember your teachers instructions easily D. get your room tidied on your way home

2. How much you can save if you buy a PENGO WATCH CONTROL now？

A. $99. B. $100. C. $199. D. $200.

3. Where can you find the two texts most probably？

A. On a notice board. B. In a company brochure.

C. On a teenage website. D. In a college newspaper.

B

Paula and her husband have four kids， three pet dogs， and a rabbit. When the house is very noisy， Helen， one of the children， is quietly inventing. A year ago， the 10-year-old had to design an anti-smoking poster for a school project. Rather than a poster， she came up with the idea of creating something that shows the average amount of tar （焦油） a smoker collects from just four packs of cigarettes.

“I like people to play with things more than read and write，” she says. So she researched her idea on the Internet， found a company in China that could make it， saved up her pocket money and got her idea made.

Paula says her daughter “thinks differently”： Ideas jump into her mind. After she got sun-burnt on holiday， Helen invented a small plastic bracelet （手鐲） that changes color in the sun， telling you when to put on sunscreen. Several sunscreen companies have expressed an interest in the idea. She also came up with an idea to make a ball filled with water to stop the dog from feeling thirsty. “But we didnt do anything with it，” says Paula.

Then she pulls out a picture of a special fishing rod （竿） she has designed. “There is a camera on the hook，” she explains， “and the screen is on the handle， and it shows you if youve caught a fish or not.”

Helen doesnt want to go to university. She keeps her pink-and-cream bedroom tidy. Paula is amazed and a bit confused by her daughter. “Everything has to be in a certain order，” Paula says. “Her brothers and sisters go with the flow， but with Helen， its ‘What time will that be happening？ or ‘Where am I being picked up from today？”

4. From the text， we can infer that Helen ___ .

A. is not willing to go to school B. is good at reading and writing

C. prefers making something by herself D. likes to play with her brothers and sisters

5. What did Helen invent after she got sun-burnt on vacation？

A. The anti-smoking poster. B. The ball providing water for thirsty dogs.

C. The bracelet telling when to put on sunscreen. D. The fishing rod telling whether youve caught a fish.

6. The underlined phrase “go with the flow” in the last paragraph probably means “___”.

A. set an example to others B. follow the fashion closely

C. do what most people usually do D. do something differently from others

7. What is the text mainly about？

A. A 10-year-old inventor. B. Helens inventions for smokers.

C. Helens relationship with her family members. D. A little girls dream to be a world-famous inventor.

C

Located in northern Manitoba on the west side of Hudson Bay， Churchill is out in the middle of nowhere. But polar bears like it that way. They spend summers on the tundra （苔原） around Churchill. In the fall， they wait anxiously along the shore of Hudson Bay for the ice to form. Then they go out onto the frozen sea to hunt ringed seals—their favorite food. October and November are the best polar-bear viewing times. From tundra vehicles， visitors to Churchill observe the bears. Some enjoy day trips or stay overnight on large tundra vehicles that have private cabins and eating facilities. Others stay at a wilderness lodge on the bears migration route to view the energetic creatures. These lodges can be reached only by air and feature good food and living arrangements.

Despite the large number of polar bears that visit Churchill each year， there is growing concern about the animals future. Because the earth is getting warmer， the ice forms later in the year now and disappears sooner in the spring. As a result， polar bears have less time to hunt for seals. Polar bears can also find smaller animals， bird eggs and berries on land， but this kind of food is not enough to support the animals.

Polar bears are also affected by plastic and chemicals that get into the ocean. A research project carried out in northern  Europe has found high concentrations of both plastic and chemicals in the tissue （組织） of polar bears. These materials and substances can damage the animals internal organs （内脏器官）， especially when the animals are not yet grown-up. Many people are researching polar bears health. Their goal is to collect the information that is needed to help save these animals.

8. What can we learn about Churchill？

A. Its located in a very remote area. B. Its attracting fewer tourists now.

C. Its surrounded by small towns. D. Its dependent on the oil industry.

9. From Paragraph 2 we can learn the author is worried about ___ .

A. the warming of the earth B. polar bears food in the future

C. polar bears eating habit D. the change of the number of seals

10. What is true about polar bears winter hunting season for seals？

A. Its starting earlier. B. Its becoming longer.

C. Its finishing later. D. Its getting shorter.

11. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us？

A. There is much rubbish in the ocean. B. Polar bears like eating plastic and chemicals.

C. Polar bears are endangered by pollution. D. Scientists are trying to save polar bears.

D

Many people believe eating healthily is expensive—and more costly than buying junk foods. But our new research， published in the BMC Public Health， shows this isnt the truth.

Most of the Australian family food budget （預算） is being spent on junk foods and drinks that are high in fat， sugar and salt.

Less than 7% of Australians eat healthily. The Australian adults get at least 35% of their energy from junk foods and drinks. As a result， two-thirds of adults （63%） and one-quarter of children are overweight.

We used the Australian Health Survey 2011—2013 and the suggestions of the Australian Dietary Guidelines to model healthy diets for a family of two adults and two children every two weeks. We collected food prices in supermarkets and stores in high and low socioeconomic （社会经济的） areas in Brisbane， and compared the diet prices with family incomes.

In both areas， a family of two adults and two children spend about 18% more on present diets than would be required to buy healthy diets. About 58% of the food budget for present diets is spent on junk foods， including takeaway foods （14%）， and sugary drinks （4%）.

In the low socioeconomic area， a family of two adults and two children spend $640.20 every two weeks on their present diets， but could buy a healthy diet for $560.93 every two weeks. In the high socioeconomic area， these numbers are $661.92 and $580.01.

Supermarket food prices were about 3% higher in the high socioeconomic location. Takeaway foods were also relatively more expensive， but sugary drinks were priced similarly in both areas.

Present diets cost more than healthy diets， so causes other than price must be helping to drive preferences for unhealthy choices.

12. What did the researchers find out？

A. Australians have a preference for takeaway foods. B. Most Australian kids have fat problems.

C. Half Australians live on junk foods. D. Most Australians eat unhealthily.

13. How did the researchers get the result？

A. By making a comparison. B. By doing the study online.

C. By carrying out interviews. D. By doing experiments.

14. What can we learn from Paragraph 5？

A. Australian foods are unhealthier than before. B. A healthy diet is actually cheaper.

C. Present diets are becoming more expensive. D. People choose junk foods for their low prices.

15. What might the following paragraph be about？

A. The harm of junk foods. B. How we can eat healthily.

C. Why people choose junk foods. D. The advantages of a healthy diet.

（六）

A

◇Shape

According to their website， Shape is a magazine for American women with active lifestyles. This womens health magazine covers everything from diet and exercise to psychology. What is great about Shape is that it knows that it must cover a lot more than Fitness to give women all the information they need to stay healthy. Besides all the great features included in their print magazine， they also have an easily accessible website that anyone can use.

◇Womens Day

Womens Day is not only specifically a womens health magazine， but also includes a little of what Shape has， along with more information on other parts of life： family， money， travel and style. Many of the articles in Womens Day deal with specific diseases that are common to women， such as heart disease， breast cancer and others.

◇Womens Health

From tips to recent health news to articles about world affairs， Womens Health has everything that you expect in a womens health magazine. Another great feature is that Womens Health has a great website full of information， as well as articles from past magazines that you can check out. This is a great resource， since it lets you get to see articles well at the office.

◇Fitness

This magazine covers important topics such as physical fitness， health & beauty， and mental health. It offers something new in each issue， and its always easy to understand.

The workouts are clearly presented with good photos to illustrate （說明） every movement， and almost all can be done without making a trip to the gym.

1. How is Womens Day different from the others？

A. It gives people more health information. B. It includes more articles about women.

C. It provides more information on family life. D. It is about more of womens life.

2. What makes the information in Fitness easy to understand？

A. Good examples. B. Illustrative pictures. C. Interesting stories. D. Important topics.

3. What is the writers purpose of writing the text？

A. To predict the best-selling writers. B. To describe some famous websites.

C. To introduce some health magazines for women. D. To advertise some fashion magazines for women.

B

One day Jack went with his family to eat in a restaurant. They were sitting at a table and waiting for their meal. Suddenly， everyone around them started to cover their noses. Some of them even left their tables and went away.

When Jacks family turned around to see what had caused this， they saw two homeless boys. The boys looked dirty and smelled bad. But both boys were smiling and had beautiful blue eyes. They were looking for someone kind. One of the boys went to the counter and he counted the coins he had. The other boy looked sick and he stood quietly.

The young lady at the counter asked the boy what they wanted. He said， “We only want a cup of coffee.” That was all they could afford. They wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up. It was really cold outside. But to sit inside the restaurant， they had to buy something.

When Jacks mother saw this， she wanted to help the boys. She ordered some more food. Then she went to the two boys table. She put the food on the table. The boys looked up at her and said， “Thank you.” When Jack saw what his mother did， he understood what the unconditional love was. His mother treated those boys kindly. She did not expect anything in return. Now Jack saves his own pocket money and helps homeless people whenever he can.

4. Why did the people leave their table and go away？

A. They had finished their meals. B. They thought the food was terrible.

C. Two boys smelled bad. D. There wasnt enough food in the restaurant.

5. Why did the two boys come to the restaurant？

A. To buy food. B. To warm up.

C. To look for Jacks mother. D. To enjoy the coffee.

6. What did Jacks mother do？

A. She gave the boys some money. B. She ordered some food for the boys.

C. She let Jack play with the boys. D. She invited the boys to eat with her family.

7. What does the story tell us？

A. We shouldnt laugh at others. B. We should treat others kindly.

C. We should save pocket money. D. We shouldnt receive others help.

C

In the story of “The Crow and the Pitcher” from Aesops Fables， a thirsty crow drops stones into a narrow jar to raise the low level of water inside so he can take a drink.

Now scientists have evidence to back up that story. New Caledonian crows actually do understand how to make water displacement （位移） work to their advantage， experiments showed. The results suggest that the birds are， at least in some aspects， as smart as first-graders， according to the study.

Researchers， led by Sarah Jelbert at the University of Auckland in New Zealand， presented six crows with tubes filled with water. Inside the tubes， a worm or piece of meat on a piece of wood was floating， just out of reach of the crow. In front of the tubes， the researchers arranged a bunch of heavy rubber erasers that would sink， and light plastic objects that would float. The crows found out that they could drop the heavy objects into the tubes in order to raise the water level and get their snack.

However， the birds handled awkwardly in experiments in which they could choose to drop objects into either a wide tube or a narrow tube to get a snack， the researchers said. Dropping objects into narrow tube would lift the water level by a greater amount and put the treat within reach after just two drops. In contrast， it took around seven drops to raise the snack to the same level in the wide tube. The crows obviously didnt realize this， and most of them went for the wide tube first.

Previous studies showed that chimps and human children can solve similar tasks. In a 2011 study， chimps and kids found out that they could put water into a tube to reach a peanut that was floating in small amount of water at the bottom.

8. How did the crows get the worm in a tube in Sarahs experiment？

A. By dropping the heavy erasers. B. By removing the plastic objects.

C. By standing on the wood. D. By breaking the tube.

9. What does the underlined part “the treat” in Paragraph 4 refer to？

A. The tube. B. The object. C. The snack. D. The water.

10. The experiment showed that crows ___ .

A. are sensitive to surroundings B. have the ability to recognize shapes

C. are as clever as chimps D. understand water displacement incompletely

11. What is the text mainly about？

A. Aesops prediction. B. Crows intelligence.

C. The development of crows. D. Human-animal communication.

D

You probably laugh at something you find funny， but how much do you really know about jokes and humour？ Readers Digest （RD） questioned several experts to give us some facts about them.

RD： Whats the oldest joke in the world？

“We cant know the oldest joke in the world because it would have existed earlier than writing，” says Christie Davies， professor of sociology at the University of Reading in the UK. The oldest joke book thats been found so far is the Greek Philogelos. It dates from the 4th century AD， although the jokes date from an earlier time. According to psychologist Steve Wilson， director of National Humor Month （April in the US）， it contains 265 jokes.

RD： Do some people fail to develop a sense of humour？

Rod Martin， professor of psychology at the Western University in Canada， believes that while everyone is born without a sense of humour， as we develop， humour and laughter begin to appear. “Of course， some children are more serious， quiet， and less likely to laugh frequently， but this doesnt mean they dont have a sense of humour.” And according to Steve Wilson， there are no adults who dont have a sense of humour. “Almost everyone is able to develop a sense of humour， and I teach people how，” he says.

RD： Do people share a sense of humour unique to their own nation？

Sense of humour does differ a lot by country， according to an author named Scott Weems. British humour is thought to be absurd （荒謬的） in nature， while American humour has an aggressive quality. According to a study， Germans are found to find everything funny.

12. What do we know about the oldest joke book？

A. It remains mysterious. B. It was written in Greek.

C. It was found in the UK. D. It contains the oldest joke.

13. What is Rod Martins idea about peoples sense of humour？

A. Some adults lose it when they grow up. B. Nobody is born with a sense of humour.

C. Childhood is the best time to develop such ability. D. Children have a poorer sense of humour than adults.

14. What kind of humour has an aggressive feature？

A. British humour. B. German humour. C. Canadian humour. D. American humour.

15. Where can you probably find the text？

A. In a popular magazine. B. In a research paper. C. In a personal diary. D. In a textbook.

（七）

A

Brownsea Open Air Theatre

DORSET

The only way to this theatre is by boat. Each June volunteers travel there to begin building the set.

“The people do Brownsea for the love of the island，” says BOAT director Denise Mallender. “Were a charity， and we help the work on the island by holding a regular Shakespeare play.”

Visit brownsea-theatre.co.uk for details

Regents Park Open Air Theatre

LONDON

Each summer， almost 140，000 people visit the park to watch one of the four yearly plays. This years plays include J. M. Barries Peter Pan and William Goldings Lord of the Flies.

With the stage and seating both completely uncovered， the actors and the audiences are left at the mercy of the British weather—although this hasnt prevented stars such as Jeremy Irons and Benedict Cumberbatch from performing here.

Visit openairtheatre.org for details

Scarborough Open Air Theatre

SCARBOROUGH

Enjoy the sea air and sights of Europes largest open-air playhouse. The stage and seating are separated by a lake.

“Its a unique place，” says Janet Deacon， area director of Welcome to Yorkshire. The theatre now plays host to concerts by big-names such as Elaine Paige and Tom Jones， who are both performing this month.

Visit scarboroughopenairtheatre.com for details

Rutland Open Air Theatre

RUTLAND

This theatre is home to the Stamford Shakespeare Company， who this year celebrate their 39th year of outdoor plays with performances of Romeo and Juliet and Henry V.

In all its years， ROAT has never cancelled a performance because of rain—and although the stage and actors are left open to the weather， the audience can shelter （避雨） in the covered hall.

Visit stamfordshakespeare.co.uk for details

1. What do we know about Regents Park Open Air Theatre？

A. It puts on four plays a year. B. Its actors are big-names.

C. It has the same plays on show every year. D. Its stage and seating are separated by a lake.

2. What do BOAT and ROAT have in common？

A. They do Shakespeare plays. B. They are completely uncovered.

C. They have the same history. D. They can be reached only by boat.

3. Which is the largest outdoor theatre in Europe？

A. Rutland Open Air Theatre. B. Brownsea Open Air Theatre.

C. Scarborough Open Air Theatre. D. Regents Park Open Air Theatre.

B

Distance， just like currency， becomes incomprehensible when it reaches large quantities.

So， when outdoor enthusiast and Midwest Mountaineering employee Elizabeth John says she only hiked the nearly 500 miles of the Colorado Trail over a period of six weeks， dont let her fool you. Thats like walking from St. Paul to St. Louis—give or take a few dozen miles—plus thousands upon thousands of feet of altitude.

“Im a gardener， Im a busy-hands person， but busy feet are just as good，” she explains. “I dont meditate， but maybe thats the way I think about it—walking as a way to relax.”

John took childhood hikes in the Boundary Waters and caught her case of busy feet while hiking in Alaska as a teenager. With a background in paddling， mountaineering， and backpacking， she found long-distance hiking rewarding， though exhausting.

Since then， thru-hiking—hiking a long-distance trail end-to-end in one hiking season—has gotten friendlier to beginners. John has given up 60-pound packs in favor of a lighter modern backpacking equipment. For her 50th birthday， she decided to fly to Spain and walk close to 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago. The Colorado jaunt， her first solo long-distance hike， followed a few years later in 2017.

“Going on a big walk is unreasonable and includes being uncomfortable， wet， hungry， sore， tired， lonely... its challenging，” she says. “Its a leap of faith. But I found the rewards surprising and unexpected， some even waiting for me at home after the trip. There is a rhythm to walking， a physicality and simplicity... a discovery.”

Logging some 4，000 feet of elevation daily， John met many “trail angels” who provided shade， snacks， and sometimes beer at remote points in the wilderness， purely out of the goodness of their hearts. “Youre so excited， because youre in someplace so incredible， and it wasnt easy to get there，” she says. “There was this moment when you love humanity， and youre so proud of people for doing it.”

4. What do we know about Elizabeth John when she was a child？

A. She often worked in her garden. B. She enjoyed swimming in the wild.

C. She got interested in hiking. D. She liked to fool people around her.

5. What is special about thru-hiking？

A. It usually requires light equipment. B. The hike is done at great speed.

C. The hike consists of one very long journey. D. It is extremely friendly to beginners.

6. When John walked the Camino de Santiago， she ___ .

A. was not experienced in hiking B. went there alone

C. was at a young age D. carried a heavy pack

7. What may “trail angels” do according to the last paragraph？

A. Give hikers a lift down the mountain. B. Guide hikers to some remote points.

C. Share their feelings with passing hikers. D. Prepare some gifts for hikers.

C

In our daily life， it is necessary to make small talk in some situations. It helps to fill time between people when it is very quiet.

People use small talk almost every day. It usually takes place when you meet someone you dont know at all or someone youre not familiar with. For example， waiters and hairdressers often make small talk with their customers. If you happen to be outside when the postman comes to your door， you might make small talk with him， too.

Most often， small talk happens in places where people are waiting for something. For example， you might talk with another person who is waiting for the bus to arrive. People also make small talk in a doctors waiting room， or when they are waiting in a line to buy something. At the office， people make small talk in lunch rooms， especially if there is a line-up. Mingling （交際） is often required among people who dont know each other very well at a party. That is to say， they are expected to walk around and talk with others.

The most common time for small talk to happen is the first time you see or meet someone on a given day. For example， if you see a neighbor in the waiting room of the airport you might say hello and discuss the sports or weather. However， the next time you see each other you might just smile and say nothing. If there is very little noise， it might be the right time to start a pleasant conversation. If someone is reading a book at the bus stop， it is probably not a good idea to start a conversation. Another good time to make small talk is during a break in a meeting when there is nothing important going on. However， it is important to recognize the signal when the other person wants the conversation to stop.

8. Small talk most probably happens when you ___ .

A. read on a bus B. have a meeting

C. enjoy a meal with your family D. meet a postman outside your door

9. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about？

A. How to make small talk. B. Where small talk happens.

C. When to make small talk. D. Why people make small talk.

10. The last paragraph is organized mainly by ___ .

A. telling stories B. giving explanations

C. providing examples D. discussing questions

11. What is the main reason for people to make small talk？

A. To relate to others. B. To break the silence.

C. To show good manners. D. To improve communication skills.

D

Birds have been observed to sleep while in flight for the first time ever. Because of some flights that can often last several days， weeks， or even longer， some sea birds have long been thought to be able to fall fully asleep while “on the wing”， though it was not proven.

Now researchers say they have evidence which shows birds can sleep in flight. Scientists from Max Planck Institute used a sample （抽樣） of 15 adult female frigatebirds to test the sleep patterns. Each bird had a small electroencephalogram （EEG） sensor （传感器） fitted to record changes in the animals brain activity as they flew for up to 10 days and over 3，000 kilometres.

The readings showed that during flight the birds could sleep using one hemisphere of the brain， or both together. It was known that frigatebirds could sleep with one “half” of the brain， which allows them to keep one eye open and “connected” to the awake half.

According to the research， it is sleeping technique used by birds for finding directions. “Frigatebirds sleep mostly while circling in rising air and keep the eye connected to the awake hemisphere facing the direction of flight， suggesting that they watch where they are going，” says the study.

Despite the ability to fall “fully” asleep， the birds were found to do it less in the air compared to on land. They slept “very little and less deeply” while in flight. This suggests that though it is possible， falling totally asleep is not very good during flight which will need the birds attention.

The researchers said the short sleep could be serving as “power naps” to keep the birds going until they return to land. Further study could help us understand why lack of sleep affects humans so badly.

12. The underlined phrase “on the wing” in Paragraph 1 may mean “___”.

A. sleeping B. fighting C. flying D. thinking

13. Why did the researchers fit the frigatebirds with EEG sensors？

A. To know about animals brain activity. B. To get some of the good samples.

C. To help the birds fly much longer. D. To make the birds find directions.

14. How do the sleeping birds find the direction？

A. They keep one eye connected to the awake part. B. They sleep with their eyes open.

C. They pay special attention to the way they travel. D. They have light sleep when flying.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. A Study on Birds in Flight B. Birds Can Sleep in Flight

C. Flying Birds Brain Activity D. Sleep with Half of the Brain

（八）

A

Keeping the kids busy over the school holidays can be discouraging and cost parents a lot. But weve found some cheap and cheerful ways to enjoy family time this Easter from free days out to fun-filled theme parks which wont cost us much. Weve done the homework so you can get started on having a great time.

Theme Parks

◆ Save from 10% to 25% off the price of tickets for Legoland in Windsor by booking in advance online. A family of four can save up to ?45.90 on a one-day ticket， paying ?137.70.

◆ Book seven days in advance and save ?43 off the price of a family of four ticket for Drayton Manor Theme Park. Call 0844-472-1950 or book online and youll pay ?65 on the day.

◆ You can pick up a family of four ticket for a day at Alton Towers in Staffordshire for ?43.80 off the day price.

◆ Save ?16 off the price for a family trip to The Making of Harry Potter by buying a family ticket （two adults and two children） online. Family of four ?101， compared to ?117.

Activities

Students looking for a cut-price trip to see the animals can save 15% off the ticket price at Bristol Zoo and pay ?12.71 rather than the full adult price ?14.53. Teens should show their identity as students.

Freebies

Let your kids discover what its like to be an animal on the African Plain or in the ocean. Or， they can learn to love leaf beetles or become a scientist for the day at the Natural History Museum in London.

1. In which theme park can visitors save most this Easter？

A. Drayton Manor Theme Park. B. The Making of Harry Potter.

C. Legoland in Windsor. D. Alton Towers in Staffordshire.

2. What is a must for enjoying a cut-price trip at Bristol Zoo？

A. Parents company names. B. Student ID card.

C. Driving license. D. Age over 8.

3. What is the purpose of the text？

A. To show some funny activities. B. To introduce some places of interest.

C. To show how to enjoy a cut-price trip. D. To introduce some ways to enjoy family time.

B

When I was nine years old， I loved to go fishing with my dad. But the only thing that wasnt very fun about it was that I couldnt catch anything. I usually got pretty upset and kept asking him why. He always answered， “Son， if you want to catch a fish， you have to think like a fish.” I remember being even more upset then because I didnt know how to think like a fish. Besides， I reasoned， how could what I think influence what a fish does.

As I got a little older I began to understand what my dad really meant. So， I read some books on fish. And I even joined the local fishing club and started attending the monthly meetings. I learned that a fish is a cold-blooded animal and therefore is very sensitive to water temperature. That is why fish prefer shallow water to deep water because the former is warmer. Besides， water is usually warmer in direct sunlight than in the shade. Yet， fish dont have any eyelids （眼皮） and the sun hurts their eyes... The more I understood fish， the more I became effective at finding and catching them.

When I grew up and entered the business world， I remember hearing my first boss say， “We all need to think like sales people.” But it didnt completely make sense. My dad never once said， “If you want to catch a fish you need to think like a fisherman.” What he said was， “You need to think like a fish.” Years later， with great efforts to promote long-term services to people much older and richer than me， I gradually learned what we all need is to think more like customers. It is not an easy job. I will show you how in the following chapters.

4. Why was the writer upset about fishing when he was nine？

A. He could not catch a fish. B. His father was not patient with him.

C. His father did not teach him to fish. D. He could not influence a fish as his father did.

5. According to the writer， fish are most likely to be found ___ .

A. in deep water on sunny days B. in deep water on cloudy days

C. in shallow water under sunlight D. in shallow water under waterside trees

6. After entering the business world， the writer found ___ .

A. it easy to think like a customer B. his fathers fishing advice inspiring

C. his first bosss sales ideas reasonable D. it difficult to sell services to poor people

7. Where does the text probably come from？

A. A fishing guide. B. A popular sales book.

C. A novel on childhood. D. A book about rich people.

C

The best colors for advertising are those that make people comfortable or stimulate （激發） their senses; knowing which color does that depends on what is being advertised. In general， color schemes （调配） contain three kinds： warm， cool and black and white.

Warm Colors

Bright red， orange， and yellow are warm colors， and they stimulate excitement. In fact， all advertisements and menus of fast food chains feature these colors. Warm colors are some of the best colors for advertising food as they are known to increase the appetite （食欲）.

A color scheme that includes warm colors also encourages people to stay longer. These colors stimulate warmth and comfort， and when people relax over dinner， they are more likely to enjoy a dessert or a cup of coffee， thus spending more money.

Cool Colors

Besides knowledge and understanding， some shades of blue are also associated with quiet. As a result， blue can actually slow a persons heart rate and reduce appetite， which is why its not often chosen for restaurant advertising. On the other hand， blue is one of the best colors for advertising medicine and other health products. Light blue can have a calming effect on people and it is most often linked with health and healing. However， it has been debated whether or not blue is one of the best colors for advertising online. Some people think it does not catch the readers attention fast enough or often enough.

Black and White

Black and white can be two of the best colors for advertising because they create a strong contrast when paired together. Black and white often indicate opposite emotions： white is often linked with purity and perfection， while black usually represents power， elegance， or evil. When used together， however， black and white can create a sense that a company is highly professional.

8. What is the influence that warm colors have on customers in a restaurant？

A. Making them eat faster. B. Encouraging them to eat more.

C. Stimulating their interest in drinking. D. Helping them to make a better food choice.

9. Why do some people disagree to use cool colors for advertising online？

A. They are reminders of medicine. B. They are disliked by most people.

C. They are linked with health and healing. D. They cant easily catch peoples eyes.

10. Why are black and white considered as two of the best colors for advertising？

A. They are peoples favorite colors. B. They are pure and perfect colors.

C. They make people think highly of the products. D. They usually stand for power.

11. What is the text mainly about？

A. The best colors for advertising. B. The effect of colors on people.

C. The reasons for the choice of colors. D. The colors being liked and disliked.

D

There is a new kind of glasses that permits people considered legally blind to see again. The company eSight invented them. A camera is set in the middle of the glasses; it catches video pictures of whatever is before it. The computer in the glasses immediately deals with the video and shows it on two screens in front of the users eyes. The video is improved by the glasses technology so that the user is able to see the picture.

The glasses themselves also focus very quickly between short， middle and long distance vision （視力）. This makes the user move easily from reading a book， to watching TV or to looking out of a window.

Jeffrey Fenton says users of the glasses can see things almost as if their eyes were good. The glasses are almost bombarding the eyes with so much information to send to the brain through the eyes that they can present them “with a picture that is pretty much what you would see or I would see”.

Users are advised to take time to get used to the glasses. In the beginning， they should wear them just a few hours at a time while their eyes adjust （适应）.

The eSight glasses are expensive. But， user Julissa Marquez says the cost was worth it. Marquez lost most of her eyesight from an attack in 2013. After more than ten operations she was left with about 30 percent vision in one eye. Through the eSight glasses， however， she says her eyesight is “amazing”. “I get to see my son. I am going to see him graduate. That is something huge for me because I love my child. He is my world.”

12. What is the first paragraph mainly about？

A. How the electronic glasses work. B. What video pictures the glasses provide.

C. How far a person with the glasses can see. D. What role the computer plays in the glasses.

13. What does the underlined word “bombarding” in Paragraph 3 mean？

A. Protecting. B. Improving. C. Providing. D. Covering.

14. What should users keep in mind in the beginning of using the glasses？

A. Adjusting them every few hours a day. B. Wearing them several hours each time.

C. Washing them frequently to keep them clean. D. Not using them while looking in the distance.

15. What can we learn about Julissa？

A. She thought highly of the new glasses. B. She expected her son to have a better sight.

C. She couldnt stand the pain of being blind. D. She lost her eyesight in an operation accidentally.

（九）

A

Welcome to Cape Town—the city that has everything！

About two million tourists visit Cape Town every year. It isnt the capital city （thats Pretoria）， and it isnt the biggest city either （thats Johannesburg）， but Cape Town is South Africas most popular city with tourists for its many attractions and activities. From the beautiful views and sunny beaches to great shopping， Cape Town has something for everyone. In fact， a vacation in Cape Town is unforgettable！

Adventure & outdoors

For the outdoor adventurer or sports fan， Cape Town has a lot of activities from climbing to diving—all combined with fantastic settings and sunny skies.

Water sports & diving

Cape Towns beaches are perfect for water sports. Scuba diving is also popular. The many shipwrecks （失事船只） along the coastline offer some excellent dives. The more adventurous diver can even try shark cage diving to get eye-to-eye with a great white！ If you arent so adventurous， try a visit to Boulders Beach. Its part of a protected area for the African penguin. You can walk around on wooden roads and watch the penguins in their natural environment. Its great for swimming too， if you dont mind coming face-to-face with a penguin or two！

Cape Towns weather is pleasant. In summer， its about 26℃ （and remember， mid-summer here is January！）， and the winter temperatures dont usually fall below 10℃. The local money is the rand （蘭特）. There are one hundred cents to every rand. The three main languages are Xhosa， English and Afrikaans. The population of Cape Town is about 3.5 million.

1. What can we learn about Cape Town？

A. It is underdeveloped. B. It is a well-visited city.

C. It is less famous than Pretoria. D. It is bigger than Johannesburg.

2. Which of the following is a special sight at Boulders Beach？

A. Shipwrecks. B. Penguins. C. Sharks. D. Shops.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about？

A. A few facts about Cape Town. B. Some suggestions for tourists.

C. The best time to go to Cape Town. D. The reasons for visiting Cape Town.

B

I was on my school campus the other day， and there was an ice cream truck parked right in front of the main common areas of the school. I had never thought an ice cream truck would circle our campus and come for us， overgrown kids. I was intrigued and wanted to investigate （調查） further.

I was quite surprised when the man in the truck called out， “Free ice cream！”

I questioned him just to make sure of his words， saying， “Im sorry， what did you say？”

“Free ice cream. You have your choice of these four frozen treats： the rocket pop， the chocolate eclair， the strawberry shortcake， or the drumstick.”

After I was certain that the man was just giving away free ice cream， I talked with him for a while. He told me that his dream had always been to travel around giving away ice cream， and thats exactly what he did. And his passion was expressed through using up all his credit cards， sleeping in his truck， and living with his mother in a small flat， so he could continue to follow his dream during hard times. Now， he has sponsorships （赞助） from large companies such as Levis to do what he loves， and hes gifted 125，000 of his truckload of ice cream treats！

The man said he wanted to encourage people to do exactly what their hearts tell them to do with their lives. I kept asking him with respect， “So your dream was just to drive around and give away ice cream？ It seems like a very unusual goal.”

“Yes， just meeting people and making them smile，” he replied.

4. What is the meaning of the underlined word “intrigued” in Paragraph 1？

A. Shocked. B. Interested. C. Pleased. D. Worried.

5. What can we learn about the ice cream man from the text？

A. He had a lot of dreams. B. He was not very happy.

C. He didnt live a rich life. D. He had several companies.

6. What does the author think of the ice cream man？

A. Respectable. B. Strange. C. Patient. D. Funny.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Taste of Ice Cream B. A Great Ice Cream Inventor

C. A Special Way of Selling Ice Cream D. A Traveling Truck Sending Sweetness

C

If you thought helicopter parents were too much， wait till you learn about “lawnmower （割草機） parents”. These are the next generation of helicopter parents， who take over-parenting to the next level. Rather than staying overhead in the air， these parents actively prepare almost every way for their children to succeed.

Their goal is to create a soft， even surface onto which their child will progress， free from harm and worry. They get involved before problems reach their child， sometimes even going to immoral （不道德的） lengths， such as writing college papers for a child whos running out of time.

One teacher told the Irish Times， “These days you would often hear from a mother or father strongly requiring their child be put in the top math class， for example. Self-respect is the popular word. They feel it would harm their childs confidence. The irony is their self-respect would be damaged far more by sending them into a class where they cant catch up with others.

Its not children who are out of control. Its parents. There will come a point when these children wont have parents on which to depend， and then how are they going to function？ Its frightening， too， to imagine these children becoming adults and attempting to raise families of their own. They would hardly be able to teach independence， confidence， work ethic， and discipline to their own children if theyve never learned it themselves.

At the end of the TIME article， Gibbs shared a wonderful quote （引用） from a writer D. H. Lawrence， written in 1918， “How to begin to educate a child. First rule： leave him alone. Second rule： leave him alone. Third rule： leave him alone. That is the whole beginning.”

8. Compared with helicopter parents， “lawnmower parents” ___ .

A. are younger B. are more competitive

C. do much more for children D. focus more on childrens health

9. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to？

A. Being put in the top maths class. B. Belonging to the ordinary class.

C. Not catching up with the class. D. Not doing well as expected.

10. What does Gibbs want to say by quoting from Lawrence？

A. We should educate children strictly.

B. D. H. Lawrence is an expert in childrens education.

C. Children need enough freedom when being educated.

D. Let children get a lot of things they want when educating them.

11. What is the authors attitude toward the children with “Lawnmower parents”？

A. Worried. B. Surprised. C. Appreciative. D. Disappointed.

D

One part of the world is still largely unexplored. It is the deep sea. Over the years， many people have explored under the sea. But the first deep-sea divers wanted to find sunken treasure （珍宝）. They werent really interested in studying the creatures of life there. Only recently have they begun to learn some of the mysteries of the sea.

Its not easy to explore the deep sea. A diver must have a way of breathing underwater. He must be able to protect himself from great pressure. The pressure of air is about 15 pounds on every square inch. But the pressure of water is about 1，300 pounds on every square inch！

The first diving suits were made of rubber. They had a metal helmet （頭盔） with windows in it. The shoes were made of lead （铅） And weighed twenty pounds each！ These suits let divers go down a few hundred feet， but they were no good for exploring the very deep waters. With a metal diving suit， a diver could go down 700 feet. Metal suits were first used in the 1930s.

In 1927， a diver named William Beebe wanted to explore deeper than anyone had ever gone before. He was not interested in finding treasure. He wanted to study the creatures and plants of the sea. His friend invented a metal ball called the Bathysphere. It weighed more than 5，000 pounds， but in it Beebe went down 3，028 feet. He saw many things that had never been seen by humans before.

12. People who first explored the deep sea hoped to ___ .

A. learn about the animals and plants of the sea B. solve some mysteries about the sea

C. have an exciting trip in the sea D. discover treasure under the sea

13. According to the text， what makes deep-sea diving difficult？

A. The pressure of the water. B. The temperature of the water.

C. The dangerous sea creatures. D. The heavy breathing equipment.

14. Compared with rubber diving suits， metal ones ___ .

A. had windows in the metal helmet B. weighed twenty more pounds

C. were good for exploring deeper waters D. began to be used much earlier

15. What do we know about William Beebe from the text？

A. He broke the diving record in his time. B. He failed to find the treasure he wanted.

C. He met something terrible under the sea. D. He was the first diver to explore the deep sea.

（十）

A

LEGOLAND California

LEGOLAND California has over 60 rides and attractions for kids ages 2—12. LEGOLAND California is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the school year and closes between 5 and 6 pm on other days. The least crowded days are during school weekdays. The largest selection （可供选择的事物） of LEGOs in the nation is located at LEGOLAND California.

LEGOLAND California has rides that are great for any kids ages 2—12.

·For the youngest children： The rides and attractions at LEGOLAND California that have no height requirements for two year olds are： The LEGOLAND Express， Playtown， Explore Village， Coast Cruise & The Lake， LEGO Club House & Factory Tours.

·Rides & activities for the older kids： Fun Town， Treasure Falls， Imagination Zone.

·For the parents： The LEGOLAND San Diego Coast Cruise is a great way to see the wonderful creations made out of LEGOs and is sure to amaze kids and adults alike！

If you find yourself loving LEGOLAND California， why not spend another day？ The great news is if you stop by Guest Services before leaving the park on your first day， you can buy an upgrade that will give you your second day at a much lower price！ It will be ten dollars more per person to get the LEGOLAND California Park Hopper ticket， but it is worth it！ Not only do you get all of the fun LEGO rides of LEGOLAND itself， but you and the kids can enjoy the Water Park as well. As LEGOLAND California is for children， it is a non-smoking park. The rides are pretty small here; teenagers will find it harder to enjoy LEGOLAND California.

1. What is special about LEGOLAND California？

A. It is kid-friendly. B. It is open all year round.

C. It usually closes up late at night. D. It has the largest LEGO shop worldwide.

2. Which of the following rides is for adults？

A. Fun Town. B. Explore Village.

C. LEGO Club House & Factory Tours. D. The LEGOLAND San Diego Coast Cruise.

3. What should you notice about LEGOLAND California？

A. All tickets include its Water Park. B. Some rides sell at a reduced price.

C. Smoking is not allowed there. D. It doesnt offer small rides.

B

Emmy Combs， 17， lost her hair as a young girl due to the autoimmune disorder， a disease which caused complete loss of hair all over her body. From the age of five until she was 16， Emmy wore bandanas （花綢巾） to cover her head.

But in May last year， she made the decision to stop wearing them. Emmy admitted that taking her bandana off for the first time was a fearful experience， but her close friends and family stuck by her. “It was time to try new things and I have always wanted to grow out of wearing bandanas，” Emmy said. “My friends and family pushed me to go through with it and Im glad that they did. Even though it does not seem that hard to do， it was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. It was stressful， but I had my friends and family by my side the entire time.”

“I have always been a confident person to others and myself. I was at a very young age when it happened， however， over the many years of growing up with it the reaction I usually get from people ranges from just curiosity and kind， generous comments. Sometimes I will get an occasional rude-sounding comment， but I have never let it get to me.”

Emmy taught herself how to use make-up to improve her natural features and replace the ones shes missing， such as eyebrows and lashes. She shares her make-up looks on her blog and is committed to helping others be confident with their appearance.

“I have learned over the past 17 years of my life that you control how you want to live your life. You choose the lifestyle that makes you happy，” she said.

4. How did Emmy feel when she decided to show her hairless head？

A. Confident. B. Nervous. C. Light-hearted. D. Embarrassed.

5. What did Emmy do towards unkind comments on her hairless head？

A. She was angry. B. She talked back.

C. She paid no attention to them. D. She felt deeply hurt.

6. Why did Emmy show her make-up looks on her blog？

A. To show her beauty. B. To show her courage.

C. To share her make-up skills. D. To inspire others.

7. What life lesson has Emmy learnt？

A. Just follow your heart. B. Just accept what it is.

C. Develop yourself to the fullest. D. Face challenges bravely.

C

Along the river banks of the Amazon and the Orinoco there lives a bird that swims before it can fly， flies like a fat chicken， eats green leaves， has the stomach of a cow and has claws on its wings when young. It builds its home about 4.6m above the river， an important feature for the safety of the young. It is called the hoatzin.

In appearance， the birds of both sexes look very much alike with brown on the back and cream and red on the underside. The head is small， with a large set of feathers on the top， bright red eyes， and blue skin. Its nearest relatives are the common birds， cuckoos. Its most striking feature， though， is only found in the young.

Baby hoatzins have a claw on the leading edge of each wing and another at the end of each wing tip. Using these four claws， together with the beak （喙）， they can climb about in the bushes， looking very much like primitive （原始的） birds must have done. When the young hoatzins have learned to fly， they lose their claws.

During the drier months between December and March， hoatzins fly about the forest in groups of 20 to 30 birds， but in April， when the rainy season begins， they collect together in smaller living units of 2 to 7 birds for producing purposes.

8. What is the difference of young hoatzins from their parents？

A. They look like young cuckoos. B. They have claws on the wings.

C. They live on river banks. D. They eat a lot like a cow.

9. What can we learn about primitive birds from the text？

A. They could fly long distances. B. They had four wings like hoatzins.

C. They had claws to help them climb. D. They had a head with long feathers on the top.

10. Why do hoatzins collect together in smaller groups when the rainy season comes？

A. To find more food. B. To produce their young.

C. To keep themselves warm. D. To protect themselves better.

11. What is the text mainly about？

A. Hoatzins in dry and rainy seasons. B. The living environment of hoatzins.

C. Primitive birds and hoatzins of the Amazon. D. The appearance and living habits of hoatzins.

D

Around the world， support is growing for electric cars. Car makers are producing more electric cars with a longer range （距離） and lower prices. Some European countries plan to be all-electric by 2040 or sooner. However， there are a lot of difficulties， including one practical consideration for customers： If they buy electric cars， where will they charge them？

Public charging stations are not built evenly （均匀地） around the world. Places with lots of support from governments， like China and the Netherlands have thousands of public charging stations. But in many places， there are not many public chargers. Thats a problem for people who need to drive further than the 200 miles or so that most electric cars can travel.

This situation worries many potential electric car owners. “If I cant charge， theres no way for me to have an electric car as my primary transportation，” said Solie， who works far from his home.

Mr Romano， the CEO of ChargePoint， said workplaces should have around 2.5 chargers for every employee and stores needed one for every 20 electric cars. “Highways need one every 50 to 75 miles，” he said.

Luckily， car makers and governments are pushing to fill the gaps （差距）. The number of chargers grew by 72 percent to more than 322，000 last year， the International Energy Agency says. BMW， Daimler， Volkswagen， and Ford are building 400 fast-charging stations in Europe.

But there are pitfalls. There are different types of charging stations， and no one knows the exact mix drivers will finally need. A store might spend $5，000 for a charger， which provides a car with 5 to 15 miles of range in 30 minutes. But once most cars get 200 or 300 miles per charge， slow chargers are less necessary.

12. What prevents customers from buying electric cars？

A. The long-time charging. B. The power problem.

C. The safety problem. D. The price.

13. What is Solies attitude toward buying electric cars？

A. Doubtful. B. Hopeful. C. Supportive. D. Uninterested.

14. What do Mr Romanos words suggest in Paragraph 4？

A. There is a great need for chargers. B. The government should take action.

C. Car makers will have a bright future. D. Electric cars are becoming less popular.

15. What does the underlined word “pitfalls” in the last paragraph mean？

A. Dangers. B. Problems. C. Advantages. D. Achievements.