Fifty people died, over 11,000 were injured, and 100,000 houses were heavily damaged or destroyed in an earthquake that struck North China's Hebei Province.

The quake, measuring 6. 2 on the Richter scale (里氏6 .2级) , hit the area 220km northwest of Beijing at 11: 50 a. m. on January 10, 1998.

Scientists made a report of the recent quake. They said that the area of northwestern Beijing, the joint of Shanxi and Hebei Provinces and the Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) were most easily attacked by earthquakes measuring 6 to a bit over 7 on the Richter scale.

However, scientists did not see the recent earthquake earlier. Clouds covered a large area in the northern part of North China before the earthquake and experts say that this prevented satellites from correctly watching the temperature at the correct altitude (纬度).

Experts say that in the last ten years, about 305 earthquakes have taken place in China with 9 measuring over 7 on the Richter scale, 60 measuring over 6, and 236 measuring over 5.

Tens of thousands of people died or were injured. Loss(损失) valued over 10 billion yuan.

40. When the earthquake attacked the area, most people there were unlikely（不太可能的）to ____.

A. sleep in bed    B. work in the fields 

C. walk in the streets    D. stay at home

41. The report shows that about nine earthquakes in the past ten years are measured over ____ on the Richter scale.

A. 7      B.5       C.9         D.6

42. It can be inferred（推断） from the report that the damage caused by the earthquakes could be much less heavy if ____.

A. all the people stayed outside

B. the earthquake happened at midnight

C. the people had been warned earlier 

D. the earthquake scale was lower than 6. 2 only

43. Which of the following can be reasonable except ____.

A. We can not stop earthquakes 

B. Scientists are working hard at the researches on earthquakes

C. We can do our best to have fewer damages than ever

D. Nothing can be done on earthquakes

The 16-year-old girl Jessica Watson is said to be the youngest person to sail non-stop alone around the world. But her record has been questioned because someone thought that she has not sailed far enough. She will also not be recognized by the World Speed Sailing Record Council, as it was too dangerous for someone under 18 years old.

Ms Watson sailed into Sydney port on Saturday, seven months after leaving on a hard voyage. Family, friends and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd have gathered to greet her. Thousands of well-wishers waited at the port and watched from boats as Ms Watson sailed her pink, 10m boat over the finishing line. Many more Australians watched the event broadcast live on television. Watson said she was just an “ordinary girl who believed in her dream”.

Ms Watson left Sydney on 18 October, despite that some people disagreed to her plan. Watson traveled northeast through the South Pacific and across the equator (赤道), south to Cape Horn at the tip of South America, across the Atlantic Ocean to South Africa, through the Indian Ocean and around southern Australia. The route took her through some of the world’s most changeful waters, and she battled through huge storms and suffered seven accidents of her boat.

People around the world have followed Ms Watson’s adventures on her blog, which she has daily updated (更新). On her blog, she wrote down beautiful sunrise over seas, the excitement of meeting a blue whale and the bright, terrible sight of a shooting star flying across the night sky above her boat. Ms Watson has reportedly sold her story to a news company for $700,000. She is planning to write a book on her experience.

36. Which of the following oceans didn’t Ms Watson cross through in her voyage?

A. The Pacific Ocean.                                 B. The Arctic Ocean.

C. The Indian Ocean.                                  D. The Atlantic Ocean.

37. Ms Watson’s voyage will NOT be considered an official world record mainly because __________.

A. no one can prove that her route was dangerous enough

B. she hasn’t applied for the record

C. teenagers are not encouraged to take such a dangerous adventure

D. girls are not allowed to take part in the dangerous sports

Back in the late 1950’s, I grew up in a small village in the Cotswolds. There was 16　 else

to do but read and write. As a teenager, I wanted to hear from people who lived in 　 17　 countries and see how they lived and what their 　18　 was like. I got, from a magazine, the 　　　19 of one teenager called Glenys, like me who wanted to have a pen-pal. She 　20　 in North Island, New Zealand.

Glenys and I wrote to each other via blue airmail letters 　　21　 there were no computers then! Sometimes it was so 　 22　 because a proper letter would arrive with photographs and newspaper　 23　 ,showing each other how different our lives were－but strangely enough－very 　24　 in some aspects(方面). We married, had children at about the same time. Over the years we 　25　 lots of heartbreak , tears and laughter. My　 26　 died－so did Glenys’. We cheered each other up during these times and both 　　27　 . She is leading a happy life with her second husband Brian. I am enjoying my new marriage life to the full.

　 　 28　 with the use of the e-mail, keeping in touch became much 　 29　 , and we decided time was moving on and it became necessary to 　 30　 each other. So in 2006 I　 31　 the longest flight of my life and went to NZ. We looked at each other at Auckland　　　　 　 32　 and burst into tears. Newspapers there　 33　 the story. What a wonderful time I had there!

　　 This September 2011Glenys came to the UK to see me. It was such an emotional 　　34　 . She flew back last night and I was feeling very 35　 . My dearest wish is that Glenys and I will meet again, sometimes. Friendship is boundless.

16．A. anything　　　　　　　　　 B. everything C. nothing　　　　　　　　　 D. something

17．A. developed　　　　　　　　 B. different C.developing　　　　　　　 D. the same 18．A.country B. culture C.school　　　　　　　　　　 D. life

19．A. name　　　　　　　　　　　 B. picture C. address　　　　　　　　　 D. reply 20．A. worked　　　　　　　　　 B. traveled　　　　　　　　　 C. taught　　　　　　　　　　 D. lived

21．A. because　　　　　　　　　 B. when C. although　　　　　　　　　 D. while

22．A. disappointing　　　　　 B. boring C. exciting　　　　　　 　 D. surprising

23．A.listings　　　　　　　　　　 B. cuttings C. collections　　　　　　　 D. advertisements

24．A. sad　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. similar　　　　　　　　　　 C. important　　　　　　　　 D. special

25．A.asked　　　　　　　　　　　 B. remembered　　　　　　 C. faced　　　　　　　　　　　 D. shared

26．A.parents　　　　　　　　　　 B. daughter C. husband　　　　　　　　　 D. neighbour

27．A.reintroduced　　　　　　 B. remarried C. recalled　　　　　　　　　 D. reeducated

28．A. Later　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Next　　　　　　　　　　　 C. First　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Finally

29．A. easier　　　　　　　　　　　 B. cheaper　　　　　　　　　 C. faster　　　　　　　　　　　 D. safer

30．A. survive　　　　　　　　　　 B. meet C.learn　　　　　　　　　　　 D. follow

31．A. got B. carried C. took D. chose

32．A.airport　　　　　　　　　　　 B. station　　　　　　　　　　 C. park　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. square

33．A. heard　　　　　　　　　　　 B. wrote　　　　　　　　　　　 C. printed　　　　　　　　　　 D. reported

34．A. revisit　　　　　　　　　　 B. holiday　　　　　　　　　　 C. reunion　　　　　　　　　 D. trip

35．A. worried　　　　　　　　　 B. tearful　　　　　　　　　　 C. tired　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. helpful

--- I saw Jane and her boyfriend in the park at eight yesterday evening.

  ---- Impossible. She ______ TV with me in my home then.

A. watched       B. had watched        C. would watch      D. was watching

It was in this village,_____ Mary was born 35 years ago, ______ she will build her first school.

A. that, when     B. where, that    C. that, that      D. where, when

---Our class have taken the first place in the sports meeting.

   __ _____________.

  A. Good luck          B. Come on       C. Congratulations       D. Go ahead

－Sorry, I didn’t break the plate______.

    －Forget about it.

  A. on purpose          B. no longer         C. at present       D. as usual

After listening to the joke, one minute she burst out _________ and the next she burst into_________.

  A. laugh; tears         B. laughing; crying   C. laughing; tears       D. laughter; tears

 The money collected should be made good use ________ the people in Taiwan who suffered a lot in the earthquake.

    A. of helping                B. to help                  C. to helping               D. of to help

 75% of the students ______that the number of private cars _______ increasing rapidly.

  A. agree; are            B. agrees; is         C. agrees; are        D. agree; is