Terrafugia Inc. said Monday that its new flying car has completed its first flight, bringing the company closer to its goal of selling the flying car within the next year. The vehicle —named the Transition – has two seats, four wheels and wings that fold up so it can be driven like a car. The Transition, which flew at 1,400 feet for eight minutes last month, can reach around 70 miles per hour on the road and 115 in the air. It flies using a 23-gallon tank of gas and burns 5 gallons per hour in the air. On the ground, it gets 35 miles per gallon.
Around 100 people have already put down a $10,000 deposit to get a Transition when they go on sale, and those numbers will likely rise after Terrafugia introduces the Transition to the public later this week at the New York Auto Show. But don’t expect it to show up in too many driveways. It’s expected to cost $279,000.And it won’t help if you’re stuck in traffic. The car needs a runway.
Inventors have been trying to make flying cars since the 1930s, according to Robert Mann, an airline industry expert. But Mann thinks Terrafugia has come closer than anyone to making the flying car a reality. The government has already permitted the company to use special materials to make it easier for the vehicle to fly. The Transition is now going through crash tests to make sure it meets federal safety standards.
Mann said Terrafugia was helped by the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision five years ago to create a separate set of standards for light sport aircraft, which are lower than those for pilots of larger planes. Terrafugia says an owner would need to pass a test and complete 20 hours of flying time to be able to fly the Transition, a requirement pilots would find relatively easy to meet.
1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.The basic data of the Transition.
B.The advantages of flying cars.
C.The potential market for flying cars.
D.The designers of the Transition.
2.Why is the Transition unlikely to show up in too many driveways?
A.It causers traffic jams.
B.It is difficult to operate.
C.It is very expensive.
D.It burns too much fuel.
3.What is the government’s attitude to the development of the flying car?
A.Cautious B.Favorable.
C.Ambiguous. D.Disapproving.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Flying Car at Auto Show
B.The Transition’s First Flight
C.Pilots’ Dream Coming True
D.Flying Car Closer to Reality
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Cities usually have a good reason for being where they are, like a nearby port or river. People settle in these places because they are easy to get to and naturally suited to communications and trade. New York City, for example, is near a large harbour at the mouth of the Hudson River. Over 300 years its population grew gradually from 800 people to 8 million. But not all cities develop slowly over a long period of time. Boom towns grow from nothing almost overnight. In 1896, Dawson, Canada, was unmapped wilderness(荒野). But gold was discovered there in 1897, and two years later, it was one of the largest cities in the West, with a population of 30,000.
Dawson did not have any of the natural conveniences of cities like London or Paris. People went there for gold. They travelled over snow-covered mountains and sailed hundreds of miles up icy rivers. The path to Dawson was covered with thirty feet of wet snow that could fall without warming. An avalanche(雪崩) once closed the path, killing 63 people. For many who made it to Dawson, however, the rewards were worth the difficult trip. Of the first 20,000 people who dug for gold, 4,000 got rich. About 100 of these stayed rich men for the rest of their lives.
But no matter how rich they were, Dawson was never comfortable. Necessities like food and wood were very expensive. But soon, the gold that Dawson depended on had all been found. The city was crowded with disappointed people with no interest in settling down, and when they heard there were new gold discoveries in Alaska, they left Dawson City as quickly as they had come. Today, people still come and go — to see where the Canadian gold rush happened. Tourism is now the chief industry of Dawson City — its present population is 762.
1.What attracted the early settlers to New York City?
A.Its business culture.
B.Its small population.
C.Its geographical position.
D.Its favourable climate.
2.What do we know about those who first dug for gold in Dawson?
A.Two-thirds of them stayed there.
B.One out of five people got rich.
C.Almost everyone gave up.
D.Half of them died.
3.What was the main reason for many people to leave Dawson?
A.They found the city too crowded.
B.They wanted to try their luck elsewhere.
C.They were unable to stand the winter.
D.They were short of food.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.The rise and fall of a city.
B.The gold rush in Canada.
C.Journeys into the wilderness.
D.Tourism in Dawson.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
If you’d like to go sightseeing, the following World Heritage Sites may be your best choices.
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area
The Jiuzhaigou Valley, which lies in the northern part of Sichuan Province, reaches a height of more than 4,800 meters, with a series of different forest ecosystems. There you can enjoy watching excellent waterfalls. Some 140 kinds of birds also live in the valley, as well as a number of endangered plants and animals, the giant panda included.
For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org//en/list/637.
Khami Ruins National Monument
The city of Khami, which developed after the capital of Great Zimbabwe had been given up in the mid-16th century, is of great archaeological interest. The discovery of objects from Europe and China shows that Khami was a major centre for trade over a long period of time.
For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/365.
Henderson Island
Henderson Island, which lies in the eastern South Pacific, is one of the few atolls(环礁) in the world whose ecology has not been touched by human beings. It is especially famous for the ten plants and four land birds that can only be seen on the island.
For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/487.
The Old City of Jerusalem
As a holy city for three different religions in the Middle East, Jerusalem has always been of great religious importance. It was given a World Heritage Status in 1981 and placed on the “List of World Heritage in Danger” the following year.
For more information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/148.
1.What can we know about the Jiuzhaigou Valley?
A.It has different forest ecosystems.
B.It sits at the foot of a 4,800-meter high mountain.
C.In all about 140 kinds of birds and animals live there.
D.Most of China’s endangered plants can be found there.
2.The discovery of some of the objects in Khami shows that the city _______ .
A.had a very short history B.was ruined in the mid-16th century
C.was once Great Zimbabwe’s largest city D.once played a great role as a trade center
3.What can be learned about Henderson Island from the passage?
A.It hasn’t been greatly influenced by human activities. B.It isn’t suitable for humans to live on.
C.It has been open to visitors for years. D.It is made up of a few large atolls.
4.Where will the passage appear?
A.A tourist guide. B.A newspaper advertisement.
C.The leaflet of a tourism agent. D.A web page.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How is it that siblings (兄弟姐妹) can turn out so differently? One answer is that in fact each sibling grows up in a different family. The firstborn is, for a while, an only child, and therefore has a completely different experience of the parents than those born later. The next child is, for a while, the youngest, until the situation is changed by a new arrival. The mother and father themselves are changing and growing up too. One sibling might live in a stable and close family in the first few years; another might be raised in a family crisis, with a disappointed mother or an angry father.
Sibling competition was identified as an important shaping force as early as in 1918. But more recently, researchers have found many ways in which brothers and sisters are a lasting force in each others’ lives. Dr. Annette Henderson says firstborn children pick up vocabulary more quickly than their siblings. The reason for this might be that the later children aren’t getting the same one-on-one time with parents. But that doesn’t mean that the younger children have problems with language development. Later-borns don’t enjoy that much talking time with parents, but instead they harvest lessons from bigger brothers and sisters, learning entire phrases and getting an understanding of social concepts such as the difference between “I” and “me”.
A Cambridge University study of 140 children found that siblings created a rich world of play that helped them grow socially. Love-hate relationships were common among the children. Even those siblings who fought the most had just as much positive communication as the other sibling pairs.
One way children seek more attention from parents is by making themselves different from their siblings, particularly if they are close in age. Researchers have found that the first two children in a family are typically more different from each other than the second and third. Girls with brothers show their differences to a maximum degree by being more feminine than girls with sisters. A 2003 research paper studied adolescents from 185 families over two years, finding that those who changed to make themselves different from their siblings were successful in increasing the amount of warmth they gained from their parents.
1.In terms of language development, later-borns ________.
A.get their parents’ individual guidance B.learn a lot from their elder siblings
C.experience a lot of difficulties D.pick up words more quickly
2.What was found about fights among siblings?
A.Siblings hated fighting and loved playing. B.Siblings in some families fought frequently.
C.Sibling fights led to bad sibling relationships. D.Siblings learned to get on together from fights.
3.The word “feminine” (in Para. 4) means “_______”.
A.having qualities of parents B.having qualities of women
C.having defensive qualities D.having extraordinary qualities
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
1. However, it is possible to prevent stress as well as reduce its effect when it can’t be avoided. The following are ways to deal with stress.
2. Running, walking, playing tennis, and working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try.
You should make every effort to get enough rest and eat well. If you easily get angry and can’t sleep well enough, or if you’re not eating properly, it will be more likely that you will fall into stressful situations.3.
Schedule time for both work and entertainment. Don’t forget, play can be just as important to your health as work.4. Go window-shopping or work on a hobby. Allow yourself at least half an hour each day to do something you enjoy.
Stress can result from disorganization and a feeling that “there’s so much to do, and not enough time”. Make a list of everything you have to do.5.Remember: do one thing at a time, and check off each task it is completed.
A.If stress repeatedly keeps you from sleeping, you should see a doctor.
B.You’d better get into good living habits.
C.You need a break from your daily routine to just relax and have fun.
D.It is impossible to live completely free of stress.
E.Set out to do the most important task first.
F.Trying releasing the pressure through exercise is probably a good choice.
G.Stress can influence peopled thoughts and feelings.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Dad had a green comb(梳子). He bought it when he married Mum. Every night, he would hand me his_______and say, “Good girl, help Daddy clean it, OK?”
I was_______to do it. At age five, this dull task brought me such_______. I would excitedly turn the tap_______and brush the comb carefully. Satisfied that I'd done a good job, I would happily return the comb to Dad. He would_______affectionately(慈祥地) at me and place the comb on his wallet.
Two years later, Dad started his own_______, which wasn't doing so well. That was when things started to_______. Dad didn't come home as early and as much as he used to. Mum and I became_______with him for placing our family in trouble. With_______, an uncomfortable silence grew between us.
After my graduation, Dad's business was getting back on track. On my 28th birthday, Dad came home________. As usual, I helped him carry his bags into his study. When I turned to leave, he said, “Hey, would you help me________my comb?” I looked at him a while, then ________the comb and headed to the sink.
It hit me then: why, as a child,________Dad clean his comb was such a pleasure. That routine(习惯) meant Dad was home early to________the evening with Mum and me. It________a happy and loving family.
I passed the clean comb back to Dad. He smiled at me and________placed his comb on his wallet. But this time, I noticed something________. Dad had aged. He had wrinkles(皱纹) next to his eyes when he smiled,________his smile was still as________as before, the smile of a father who just wanted a good________for his family.
1.A.brush B.bag C.wallet D.comb
2.A.pleased B.annoyed C.relieved D.ashamed
3.A.pain B.joy C.sadness D.courage
4.A.on B.out C.over D.in
5.A.laugh B.stare C.smile D.shout
6.A.journey B.family C.business D.task
7.A.form B.progress C.change D.improve
8.A.strict B.satisfied C.delighted D.mad
9.A.ease B.time C.patience D.speed
10.A.occasionally B.early C.frequently D.rarely
11.A.keep B.sharpen C.repair D.clean
12.A.threw B.dropped C.took D.handed
13.A.hearing B.watching C.letting D.helping
14.A.spend B.find C.lose D.waste
15.A.supported B.affected C.broke D.meant
16.A.carefully B.firmly C.hurriedly D.casually
17.A.urgent B.different C.exciting D.interesting
18.A.yet B.for C.or D.so
19.A.convincing B.cautious C.heartwarming D.innocent
20.A.education B.origin C.life D.reputation
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Just as I began a new job in New York, I had another important job: father. I was a businessman. At the office I had three new1.(project) and at home I had a young son who was growing fast and 2.(need)me. I was puzzled and didn’t know how to deal with the relationship between job and family until one day, during my business trip in Chicago, I came3.an old family friend Dan,4.was once a patient of my father. He told me something about my father. 5.was my father that helped him go through the cancer. When Dan knew he got cancer, he was very upset and wanted6.(give) up, but my father, his doctor, encouraged him to go on 7. (fight) against the cancer. My father said to him, “You have 8.wonderful life and three fine children. Take some time with them. It is family that we live for----not just ourselves. Think of that9.you will know life’s worth the fight.” His words touched me, and I10.(sudden) realized that family is the most important in the world. I should spend more time staying with them.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加: 在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删减: 把多余的词用斜线( \ )划掉。
修改: 在错词下面划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意: 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Last summer, I got a part-time job as a waiter. I worked hard and very helpful. Everyone in a restaurant including some regular customer liked me. One day, a foreign couple in their fifties entered into the restaurant. I was happy to have a chance to practice their spoken English. I went up to greet them warm. After I took their order, I told them their food will be served quickly because we Chinese respect the elderly. After heard my words, a look of displeasure appeared on the wife's face. Seeing my confusing look, her husband explained to me the Westerners disliked the description “old”. I apologized to them but realized the importance of knowing cultural differences.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李华，以下是你的同班交换生John写给你的电子邮件，请你根据信的内容给他写一封回信，告知他相关情况。
Dear Li Hua，
I fell ill these days and didn’t go to school.But I feel quite well now and I think I can return to school next Monday.Did anything special happen in our class and should I prepare anything?
Yours，
John
内容包括：
1.大家都很关心John，希望他早日恢复健康；
2.周一上午有英语演讲比赛，大家都希望他能参加；
3.下午排练莎士比亚的戏剧Romeo and Juliet，John被推选演Romeo。
注意：1.词数：100左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：排练rehearse
Dear John，
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours，
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析