The sun is a star. It is a flaming ball of extremely    1    gases. The surface temperature is about 11,000 F., hot enough to turn every    2    to vapor (气体), but relatively cool compared to the strong heat at the    3   .

    Located about 93 million miles    4    the earth, the sun has a diameter (直径) that is nearly equal to 109 of our ear ths    5    up like a row of beach balls, and a mass that is about 330 000 times the mass of the earth.

    The sun is the original source of nearly all our    6   . It is mostly made of hydrogen (氢), 7    it also contains nearly every other kind of atom (原子 )that exists on the earth. The sun obtains its energy from a process of fusion (溶解) in which hydrogen atoms are changed into helium (氦) atoms    8    extreme heat and pressure. This process creates a great noise, but we cannot hear it because    9    does not travel through empty space.

    Our sun is not even    10    large or bright compared to    11    stars. Stars vary in size from smaller than the earth to large enough to hold a good part of our solar system (太阳系)! The    12    of a star shows its temperature. A star may be red, yellow, white, or blue.

    The nearest star is 4.3 light years from the earth. A light year is the    13    light travels in one year, or about    6    million miles. The    14    stars are billions of light years away. Some are    15    far away that if they were to blow up today, their light would continue to be seen from the earth    16    a million years! Our sun is part of a great galaxy (星系) of    30  billion stars called the Milky Way.    17  , there are billions of galaxies within    18    of our telescopes and countless billions beyond. The bigness of space quite __19  human comprehension. How exciting it is to live in an age    20    human beings have begun to explore that space.

    1．

A. cold　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. hot

C. cool　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. warm

    2．

A. solid　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. water

C. steam　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. air

    3．

A. surface　　　　　　　　　　   B. center

C. middle　　　　　　　　　　    D. bottom

    4．

A. away　　　　　　　　　　　　  B. from

C. far　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. within

    5．

A. lined　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. stood

C. put　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. tied

    6．

A. food　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. things

C. energy　　　　　　　　　　    D. lives

    7．

A. however　　　　　　　　　　 B. while

C. although　　　　　　　　　　 D. even if

    8．

A. under　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. by

C. of　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  D. with

    9．

A. explosion　　　　　　　　    B. noise

C. voice　　　　　　　　　　　　  D. sound

    10．

A. very　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. relatively

C. specially　　　　　　　　　　 D. especially

    11．

A. another　　　　　　　　　　   B. other

C. others　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. the others

    12．

A. surface　　　　　　　　　　   B. bigness

C. color　　　　　　　　　　　　  D. light

    13．

A. distance　　　　　　　　　　  B. space

C. time　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. place

    14．

A. farthest　　　　　　　　　　   B. smallest

C. biggest　　　　　　　　　　   D. nearest

    15．

A. too　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. such

C. quite　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. so

    16．

A. for　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. with

C. in　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. by

    17．

A. But　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Beside

C. Nevertheless　　　　　　   D. In addition

    18．

A. distance　　　　　　　　　　  B. range

C. time　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. space

    19．

A. beyond　　　　　　　　　　   B. outside

C. out of　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. far from

    20．

A. where　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. when

C. which　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. because

 

The sun is a star. It is a flaming ball of extremely    1    gases. The surface temperature is about 11,000 F., hot enough to turn every    2    to vapor (气体), but relatively cool compared to the strong heat at the    3   .

    Located about 93 million miles    4    the earth, the sun has a diameter (直径) that is nearly equal to 109 of our ear ths    5    up like a row of beach balls, and a mass that is about 330 000 times the mass of the earth.

    The sun is the original source of nearly all our    6   . It is mostly made of hydrogen (氢), 7    it also contains nearly every other kind of atom (原子 )that exists on the earth. The sun obtains its energy from a process of fusion (溶解) in which hydrogen atoms are changed into helium (氦) atoms    8    extreme heat and pressure. This process creates a great noise, but we cannot hear it because    9    does not travel through empty space.

    Our sun is not even    10    large or bright compared to    11    stars. Stars vary in size from smaller than the earth to large enough to hold a good part of our solar system (太阳系)! The    12    of a star shows its temperature. A star may be red, yellow, white, or blue.

    The nearest star is 4.3 light years from the earth. A light year is the    13    light travels in one year, or about    6    million miles. The    14    stars are billions of light years away. Some are    15    far away that if they were to blow up today, their light would continue to be seen from the earth    16    a million years! Our sun is part of a great galaxy (星系) of    30  billion stars called the Milky Way.    17  , there are billions of galaxies within    18    of our telescopes and countless billions beyond. The bigness of space quite __19  human comprehension. How exciting it is to live in an age    20    human beings have begun to explore that space.

    1．

A. cold　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. hot

C. cool　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. warm

    2．

A. solid　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. water

C. steam　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. air

    3．

A. surface　　　　　　　　　　   B. center

C. middle　　　　　　　　　　    D. bottom

    4．

A. away　　　　　　　　　　　　  B. from

C. far　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. within

    5．

A. lined　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. stood

C. put　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. tied

    6．

A. food　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. things

C. energy　　　　　　　　　　    D. lives

    7．

A. however　　　　　　　　　　 B. while

C. although　　　　　　　　　　 D. even if

    8．

A. under　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. by

C. of　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  D. with

    9．

A. explosion　　　　　　　　    B. noise

C. voice　　　　　　　　　　　　  D. sound

    10．

A. very　　　　　　　　　　　　   B. relatively

C. specially　　　　　　　　　　 D. especially

    11．

A. another　　　　　　　　　　   B. other

C. others　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. the others

    12．

A. surface　　　　　　　　　　   B. bigness

C. color　　　　　　　　　　　　  D. light

    13．

A. distance　　　　　　　　　　  B. space

C. time　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. place

    14．

A. farthest　　　　　　　　　　   B. smallest

C. biggest　　　　　　　　　　   D. nearest

    15．

A. too　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. such

C. quite　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. so

    16．

A. for　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. with

C. in　　　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. by

    <
/
span>17．

A. But　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Beside

C. Nevertheless　　　　　　   D. In addition

    18．

A. distance　　　　　　　　　　  B. range

C. time　　　　　　　　　　　　   D. space

    19．

A. beyond　　　　　　　　　　   B. outside

C. out of　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. far from

    20．

A. where　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. when

C. which　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. because

 

I guess I was a pretty conservative person and definitely an overly protective mother to my daughters, Kimberley, now 17, and Cassie, now 16.

　 I worked as a director nursing at a private hospital. Then after my husband and I divorced (离婚), I started my own typesetting business, working long hours at home. I hardly ever went out, even though my girls were always going somewhere. Finally, about a year ago, I thought, “What am I doing with my life?”

　 My life changed after I went with Terri, a girl friend who was buying a motorbike. Before I knew it, I had bought one, too— a Yamaha Verago 250.

　 It was totally on impulse (冲动), but the best decision I ever made, I booked into a training school and was taught to ride by a rough-looking Harley rider. Then I bought all the leather gear(传动装置).

　 Motorcycle riding has given me a sense of freedom and so much personal satisfaction. It also is a great alternative form of transport, and an activity that enables you to make new friends.

　 Terri and I ride mostly on weekends, to places such as Bateau Bay (on the New South Wales central coast). That ride is one of my favorites, because we stop at Mt White Caf, a bikers’ caf, on the way, to watch everyone strut their stuff (大显身手). It’s just wonderful —men and women bikers get to meet, admire and complain about each other’s bikes.

　 I also joined WIMA (Women’s International Motorcycle Association), and we go on long, organized rides.

　 Bikers can look like a rough and violent group, but they can be anything from professional people to engineers. The guys are really very good and think it is great that women ride. All bike riders wave or nod to each other on the road— it is also different from driving a car. There is such close friendship and I have never had so much fun.

1．The writer’s life changed after ________.

　 A. she got to know Terri　　　　　　　　 B. she bought her motorbike

　 C. she got divorced　　　　　　　　　　　 D. she started her own business

2.From the statement “It was totally on impulse”, we can infer that ________.

A.    the writer suddenly decided to change her life

B.    the writer’s impulse beat faster when she made the decision

C.    the writer suddenly thought of buying a motorbike as her friend did

D.    the writer had planned to buy a motorbike before she went with Terri

3.Which of the following is NOT true as to the writer’s activities with her motorbike?

A.The writer went to a motorbike-training school.

B.The writer mostly goes to work on her motorbike.

C.The writer has made some new friends by riding together with others.

D.The writer joined an organization and she could go on long and organized rides.

4.The bikers the writer meets on her rides are ________.

A. rough-looking people without jobs　　　 B. mostly professors and engineers

C. women of her own age　　　　　　 D. people of different professions

 

 

After too long on the Net，even a phone call can be a shock. My boyfriend‘s Liverpudlian accent suddenly becomes too difficult to understand after his clear words on screen; a secretary‘s tone seems more rejecting than I’d imagined it would be. Time itself becomes fluid- hours becomes minutes， and alternately seconds stretch into days. Weekends， once a highlight of my week，are now just two ordinary days.

For the last three years，since I stopped working as a producer for Charlie Rose，I have done much of my work as a telecommuter. I submit (提交) articles and edit them by E-mail and communicate with colleagues on Internet mailing lists. My boyfriend lives in England, so much of our relationship is computer-mediated.

If I desired，I could stay inside for weeks without wanting anything. I can order food，and manage my money，love and work. In fact，at times I have spent as long as three weeks alone at home，going out only to get mail and buy newspapers and groceries.  I watched most of the blizzard of 96 on TV.

 But after a while，life itself begins to feel unreal. I start to feel as though I’ve merged (融合) with my machines，taking data in spitting them back out， just another node （波节）on the Net. Others on line report the same symptoms. We start to strongly dislike the outside forms of socializing. It’s like attending an A. A. meeting in a bar with everyone holding a half-sipped drink. We have become the Net opponents’ worst nightmare.

What first seemed like a luxury，crawling from bed to computer，not worrying about hair，and clothes and face，has become an avoidance，a lack of discipline. And once you start replacing real human contact with cyber-interaction，coming back out of the cave can be quite difficult.

At times, I turn on the television and just leave it to chatter in the background, something that I'd never done previously. The voices of the programs soothe (安慰) me, but then I'm jarred (使感不快) by the commercials. I find myself sucked in by soap operas, or compulsively (强制性能地) needing to keep up with the latest news and the weather. "Dateline," "Frontline," "Nightline," CNN, every possible angle of every story over and over and over, even when they are of no possible use to me. Work moves from foreground to background.

1．Compared to the clear words of her boyfriend on screen, his accent becomes____

    A．unreal       B．unbearable       C．misleading       D．not understandable

2．What does the last paragraph mean

    A．Having worked on the computer for too long, she became a bit strange.

B．She is so interested in TV programs that she often forgets her work

    C．She watches TV a lot in order to keep up with the latest news and the weather.

    D．She turns on TV now and then in order to get some comfort from TV program.

3．What is the author’s attitude to the computer?

    A．She has become bored with it.

    B．She dislikes it because TV is more attractive.

    C．She dislikes it because it cuts off her relation with the outside world.

    D．She likes it because it is very convenient.

4．The underlined phrase “coming back out of the cave ”probably means_______.         

A．going back to the dreaming world         B．coming back home from the outside world

C．restoring direct human contact            D．getting away from living a strange life

 

After too long on the Net，even a phone call can be a shock. My boyfriend‘s Liverpudlian accent suddenly becomes too difficult to understand after his clear words on screen; a secretary‘s tone seems more rejecting than I’d imagined it would be. Time itself becomes fluid- hours becomes minutes， and alternately seconds stretch into days. Weekends， once a highlight of my week，are now just two ordinary days.

For the last three years，since I stopped working as a producer for Charlie Rose，I have done much of my work as a telecommuter. I submit (提交) articles and edit them by E-mail and communicate with colleagues on Internet mailing lists. My boyfriend lives in England, so much of our relationship is computer-mediated.

If I desired，I could stay inside for weeks without wanting anything. I can order food，and manage my money，love and work. In fact，at times I have spent as long as three weeks alone at home，going out only to get mail and buy newspapers and groceries.  I watched most of the blizzard of 96 on TV.

 But after a while，life itself begins to feel unreal. I start to feel as though I’ve merged (融合) with my machines，taking data in spitting them back out， just another node （波节）on the Net. Others on line report the same symptoms. We start to strongly dislike the outside forms of socializing. It’s like attending an A. A. meeting in a bar with everyone holding a half-sipped drink. We have become the Net opponents’ worst nightmare.

What first seemed like a luxury，crawling from bed to computer，not worrying about hair，and clothes and face，has become an avoidance，a lack of discipline. And once you start replacing real human contact with cyber-interaction，coming back out of the cave can be quite difficult.

At times, I turn on the television and just leave it to chatter in the background, something that I'd never done previously. The voices of the programs soothe (安慰) me, but then I'm jarred (使感不快) by the commercials. I find myself sucked in by soap operas, or compulsively (强制性能地) needing to keep up with the latest news and the weather. "Dateline," "Frontline," "Nightline," CNN, every possible angle of every story over and over and over, even when they are of no possible use to me. Work moves from foreground to background.

1．Compared to the clear words of her boyfriend on screen, his accent becomes____

    A．unreal       B．unbearable       C．misleading       D．not understandable

2．What does the last paragraph mean

    A．Having worked on the computer for too long, she became a bit strange.

B．She is so interested in TV programs that she often forgets her work

    C．She watches TV a lot in order to keep up with the latest news and the weather.

    D．She turns on TV now and then in order to get some comfort from TV program.

3．What is the author’s attitude to the computer?

    A．She has become bored with it.

    B．She dislikes it because TV is more attractive.

    C．She dislikes it because it cuts off her relation with the outside world.

    D．She likes it because it is very convenient.

4．The underlined phrase “coming back out of the cave ”probably means_______.         

A．going back to the dreaming world       B．coming back home from the outside world

C．restoring direct human contact          D．getting away from living a strange life