阅读理解 Each year, road accidents kill a million people and injure millions mor
题型：同步题难度：来源：
greatest for developing countries.Earlier this year, the United Nations called for a campaign to improve
road safety.
One way to avoid accidents is better driving.Another is better roads and bridges.Engineers in the
United States have designed ten new concrete mixtures that they think could make bridges last longer.
Professor Paul Tikalsky leads the experiments by a team at Pennsylvania State University.He says
bridges made of concrete now last about twenty－five to thirty－five years.But he says the new mixtures might extend that to seventy－five or even one－hundred years.
Concrete is made of stone, sand, water and cement (水泥). The materials in the cement hold the
concrete together.Ancient Romans built with concrete.Yet strengthened concrete bridges did not appear
until the late 1800s.People keep looking for new ways to improve concrete.Professor Tikalsky says it is
one of the most complex of all chemical systems.
The new mixtures designed by his team contain industrial waste products.He says these make the
concrete better able to resist damage from water and salt over time.One of the products is fly ash.This is
released into the air as pollution when coal is burned.
Professor Tikalsky says particles (颗粒) of fly ash are almost exactly the same size and chemical
structure as Portland cement.This is the most costly material in concrete.So using fly ash to replace some
of it would save money.
Over the next two years, engineers will study ten bridges in Pennsylvania.These were built from the
different cement mixtures designed by Professor Tikalsky"s team.He says longer－lasting bridges could
save the state more than 35 million dollars a year.And he says the materials would be environmentally
friendly.
The federal
government is paying for part of the research.Engineers anywhere can use the technology.Professor Tikalsky says
some of the ideas have already been put to use in China, the Philippines and other countries.
B. Because two million people were killed in the accidents.
C. Because engineers wanted to design ten new concrete mixtures.
D. Because the United Nations made bridges of the new mixtures which could last for about
20 to 35 years.
B. Portland cement.
C. Sand.
D. Chemical.
B. A new concrete bridge could last 50 more years than an ordinary concrete one.
C. People didn"t know how to build with cement until the late 1800s.
D. Water and salt won"t do any damage to bridges over time.
ve to pay a lot of money to use the new bridge technology.B. Pennsylvania State University is paying all the money for the research.
C. Bridges built with fly ash are cheaper than common bridges.
D. Fly ash is much more expensive than Portland cement.
B. The advantages of fly ash.
C. The measures of avoiding road accidents.
D. Latest information about long－life concrete bridges.
答案
举一反三
designed to encourage more people to cycle in and around central London.
So how does it work?First you have to sign up to the scheme to be sent a key. The key will unlock
one of the bikes, which are kept at docking stations in and around central London. You have to pay
an access fee for the key and then you pay as you go, for the length of time you use the bike.
Transport for London, which runs the scheme, are hoping to have 6,000 bikes and 400 docking
stations in place by the end of the year. The new hire system is hoping to ease congestion(拥挤)in
London and is expected to create up to 40,000 extra cycle trips a day into the city centre. London
Mayor Boris Johnston launched the scheme and said London had been "filled with thousands of
gleaming machines that will transform the look and feel of our streets and become as commonplace
on our roads as black cabs and red buses".
However, there have been a few problems since the scheme was launched last Friday. On the first
day some people found they couldn"t dock their bikes properly and their usage of the bikes had not
registered. Transport for London did admit they had been expecting a few "teething problems" and have
said they wouldn"t charge for the first day as a "gesture of goodwill". Some other people have criticized
the lack of docking stations and locks for the bikes as well as the price it costs to hire the bicycles.
Despite the comments, the greenthinking London Mayor still seems very positive about things,
saying, "My campaign for the capital to become the greatest big cycling city in the world has taken a big
pedalpowered push forwards."
B. encourage the citizens to take exercise
C. deal with the city"s traffic problems
D. increase employment opportunities
B. not registering their usage of the bikes
C. not charging for the first day of the scheme
D. docking the bikes properly
B. the scheme will be cancelled because of the problems
C. all the citizens in London support the scheme
D. the cycling revolution is not successful
day". But it"s easier said than done to stay happy all the time. There are always things that stand in its
way.
The first, perhaps the biggest is genetics. Some scientists say that some people are naturally happier
than others. Besides, major life events as well as social and economic factors can also stand in the way
of happiness, such as losing your job or a family member. Then, there is health affecting your happiness.
So, is it possible that people can find lasting happiness with so many factors preventing them?
Positive psychologists(心理学家)believe it"s possible for people to stay happy for long periods,
although it cannot be lasting. Martin Seligman at University of Pennsylvania argues that daytoday
happiness comes from two things: pleasures and satisfactions. Pleasures are rich experiences that simply
make us feel good things like eating cake or drinking wine. While pleasures can be quite satisfying, the
enjoyment we get from them is shortlived.
Satisfactions are activities that we like to do and we give all we have to them. They are often
challenging, and we have to draw_on personal skills and strengths to perform them. For some people,
satisfactions come with work. Doctors, for example, often become so concentrated in an operation that
hours pass without them noticing the time. For others, it may be hobbies like gardening, playing tennis or
stamp collecting. These satisfactory activities affect the mood in a way that appears to be lasting.
Too often, people choose pleasures over satisfactions because they are easier and the effects are
more immediate. Though pleasures may work for a while, there are bad effects. Pleasurable activities
become less enjoyable if overused. Always choosing pleasures over satisfactions can also prevent people
from developing their personal strengths, which, if they"re not put to work, will die.
B. Three.
C. Four.
D. Five.
B. are more meaningful and last longer
C. are more easily ignored by people
D. depend mostly on one"s genetics
B. find
C. improve
D. use
B. It"s Impossible to Stay Happy Long.
C. Pleasures Are Different From Satisfactions.
D. The Factors That Affect Our Happiness.
根据短文内容, 从下框的A－F选项中选出能概括每一段主题的最佳选项。选项中有一项
为多余项。
B. Water wasting in businesses
C. The consequence of the fierce drought in southeast of China
D. The efficient measures saving water
E. Much water is wasted from the old water facilities
F. Some of the businesses should be forced to close up to save water
1. ________
The most severe drought in more than a century ravaging Southwest provinces should serve as a
reminder to other parts of the country that they need to get prepared to avert the dangers from the
water crisis, with more than 400 cities in need of water.
2. ________
Beijing is a case in point. With per capita water resources of only 180 cubic meters, shortage of
water has been a permanent scourge(天灾). And what the city has done in saving on water is far
from enough.
3. ________
A total of 220,000 tons of fresh water are wasted in flushing toilets every day. The amount of water
leaking in a year from the old water supply pipelines is estimated to be about 70 Kunming Lakes at the
Summer Palace. The 9,000 carwashing shops consume as much as 30 million cubic meters of water a
year.
4. ________
In addition, the 38 golf courses around the city use 20 million cubic meters of water a year. And at
least more than a million tons of water are needed to make artificial snow for the ski runs in the city"s
suburbs. The amount of water consumed by the more than 1,000 bathhouses is estimated at nearly 20
million tons.
5. ________
This situation is similar in other cities badly in need of water. There is much we can to do to save
water. Of the 100 residential communities that have pipelines for treated water in Beijing, only 20
percent are using it to flush toilets. Why do we need so many golf courses to waste the precious fresh
water? Why do we allow carwashing shops to waste fresh water rather than treated water to wash
cars? Why does the government allow so many bathhouses and ski runs to operate?
All these businesses are making money at the expense of our precious resource of fresh water. We can"t
afford to wait until it is too late. Do whatever we can to save water.
The NBA"s version of the Ming Dynasty is done. After helping pro basketball gain a foothold in the
world"s most populous market, Chinese star Yao Ming has retired.
Yao made it official Wednesday, telling a news conference that a series of foot and leg injuries forced
him to end his playing career at the age of 30.
"I will formally end my career," said Yao, who became a household name in China before starting his
NBA career with the Houston Rockets in 2002. Yao played eight seasons in the NBA.
"Today is an important day for me and holds a special meaning for both my basketball career and my
future," Yao said. "I had to leave the court since I suffered a stress fracture(断裂) in my left foot for the
third time at the end of last year. My past six months were a painful wait. I have been thinking about my
future over and over. Today I am announcing a personal decision, ending my career as a basketball player and officially retire. But_one_door_is_closing_and_another_one_is_opening."
Yao said he would return to work with his former Chinese team, the Shanghai Sharks, with the
possibility of becoming general manager. He already owns the club and wants to contribute more.
"My playing career started with the club. I hope I can do something for it," Yao said.
He later appeared with his family on the stage to the applause and cheers of the crowd. He thanked
a lot of people-his family, former coaches, even players like Shaquille O"Neal-"for making me a better
player, I will be always with you. Thank you."
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was among those attending the farewell(告别)conference
Wednesday. Morey made the long trip from Houston. Morey said 20 hours on planes was tiring but "I
would be sorry if I wasn"t here." "It"s a big moment," Morey added. "Yao had a sense of humor, a great
attitude and sense of responsibility. I hope we can continue his culture in the NBA."
Yao had played six years with the Chinese national team before joining the Rockets, and was already
a star in his home country. He carried the Olympic torch through Tian"anmen Square and his country"s
flag during the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He also donated $2 million and set
up a foundation to rebuild schools in the wake of the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan.
B. Chinese great Yao Ming retires from basketball
C. A farewell conference
D. Yao Ming"s personal decision
B. He can"t go to the US because of his retirement.
C. He is welcomed in his motherland.
D. He will return to work with the charity.
B. Responsible.
C. Generous.
D. Cautious.
B. Yao Ming played six years in America.
C. Yao Ming started his playing career in Houston.
D. Yao Ming was once an Olympic torchbearer.
a surprise party(that was an agreement at our marriage).
"How about a small dinner with __2__?" I asked.
"No, " she said, "I hate being the center of __3__."
Still, the milestone had to be marked. __4__ wasn"t going to let her get away with a Stouffer"s frozen
dinner and a movie video, __5__ was all she said she wanted.
I thought and thought, and __6__ making my decision, I sent a letter to her friends, asking them for
photos, poems, and letters. "Carol doesn"t __7__ a party in person…but I"m hoping to __8__ her a
party in a book." I bought a(n)__9__ with a friend"s advice, and what I wanted 10 . For a few minutes
at the end of every workday, I 11 pull out the marking pens and make up the 12 , Carol"s.
Photos of her in junior high, pictures of us 13 the boys, original songs, notes, cards, and poems.
It made me 14 for all the years we had had together. The 15 was more than the album. It was the
friendship and love she had given to me, to our kids and to all her friends and family. You could 16 it
on every page.
I wrapped it up and 17 it home. "Happy birthday, sweetie, " I said. "It"s not a frozen dinner or a
video, but it"s 18 you deserve." She cried. She doesn"t 19 like to cry, but I think she likes the book.
She"s said so many times. And every time I remind her 20 putting it together was a gift to me.