Imagine the situation. You are driving along a desert or on a mountain. You have no idea where you are. You passed the last house two hours ago. Then your car breaks down. It is night and it is cold. You have no mobile phone. What do you do? Well, next time take a GPS with you. This invention may be able to help you. It is a device(装置) which uses satellites (卫星) to find the user’s position(位置). It can find your position to within 20 metres. A GPS cannot start your car, but at least you will know where you are.

GPS, which means Global Positioning System, is a small radio receiver. It looks like a mobile phone. You can hold it in your hand, or put in your pocket. It is sometimes put into a watch or a telephone. We also find GPS devices in cars, planes, or boats. Some of these devices have electronic maps, so you know where you are. For example, in a city they can tell you the name of the street.

There are three parts to the Global Positioning System. The first part is the receiver. You can hold it in your hand, or have it fixed into your car, plane, etc. The second part is a group of satellites orbiting the Earth. The receiver contacts at least four of the satellites and calculates(计算) its position. The third part of the system is a network of ground stations. They are all over the world. They control the satellites and make sure they are working well.

Some people think that in the future the GPS will be as common as the mobile. They are becoming cheaper and more and more accurate(精确的). There are also new uses for the GPS. Perhaps they will become like watches. Everyone will have one and you will never be lost again.

1.According to the passage, with the help of the GPS, people __________.

A．can’t be lost in a new city

B．can’t find their way in different countries

C．can learn about the culture of an unknown place

D．can spend the least time getting to another place

2.We can learn from the passage that ____________.

A．there are three parts to the GPS

B．a GPS can’t be put into a watch

C．a GPS can help you start your car

D．the GPS are becoming more and more expensive

3.The underlined word “They” in paragraph 3 means “____________”.

A．Receivers         B．GPS devices        C．Satellites          D．Ground stations

4.The passage is mainly about _______________.

A．the history of the GPS                    B．the introduction of the GPS

C．the shape of the GPS                     D．the three parts of the GPS

5.What can we infer(推断) from the passage?

A．All GPS devices have electronic maps.

B．People in many countries will use the GPS for free.

C．The receiver of the GPS contacts at least five of the satellites.

D．The GPS will become more and more common in everyday life.

Because earthquakes happen without warning, it’s important to take steps now to prepare. Because you don’t know where you will be when an earthquake happens, prepare some supplies for your home, workplace, and car.
1. Water.
A person needs at least 1/2 gallon of water daily just for drinking. Store at least1 gallon of water per person per day and be prepared for a 72-hour period. It’s suggested that you buy bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it. Also, do check the “use by” date.
2. Food.
It’s always a practical idea to keep a supply of non-perishable(不易腐烂的) food on hand. Have an enough supply of canned food, dried milk, dried fruits, non-salted nuts and canned juices for at least 72 hours.
3. Flashlights and spare batteries.
Keep a flashlight beside your bed, at your place of work, and in your car. Do not use matches or candles after an earthquake until you are sure that no gas leaks.
Prepare a battery –powered radio and spare batteries. Most telephones will be out of order, so radios will be your best source of information.
4. Clothes.
If you live in a cold place, you must think about warmth. You might not have heat after an earthquake. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies.
【小题1】You should prepare all of the following except _______________.

Earthquakes happen without warning(前兆). They can happen any time of a day, at any point during the year. When an earthquake is happening, you should know what you should do or not do.

Do NOT go outside. You could get injured from falling glass or parts of buildings. If you are outside, stay away from buildings and power lines(输电线).

Stay under a desk, table, or other strong furniture. Hold on to it. Or stay in a corner of the building. Cover your face and head with your arms and cover your mouth with a towel or clothing. Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside.

Keep away from windows, pictures or advertisements on the wall or the building, and anything else that could fall and hurt you. Most people get injured by falling things during an earthquake, not by the shaking itself.

Also keep away from a fire. You could fall down and burn yourself on the fire.

If you are driving when an earthquake happens，stop the car if it’s safe. Stay inside your car until the earthquake stops, and don’t drive near bridges. Try not to stop by power lines or trees. These could fall and hurt you.

1.It isn’t safe for you to ______ while the earthquake is happening.

A. run out of the building

B. stay in a corner of the building

C. cover your head with your arms

D. cover your mouth with a towel

2.From this passage, we know ______ .

A. all people are frightened at earthquakes    

B. earthquakes may happen at any time

C. we can’t save ourselves in an earthquake  

D. people won’t get injured in an earthquakes if they are careful enough.

3.The best title for this passage should be “ _____________ ”

A. How Earthquakes Happen

B. How to Drive a Car

C. What We Should Do in Earthquakes

D. Why Earthquakes Happen