1．Why do airport delays cost billions in lost productivity ?

　　　 A．People who have to wait for airplanes will quit buying tickets .

　　　 B．People who are waiting in airports are losing time at work .

　　　 C．When the FAA seizes control of airports , people will lose their jobs .

　　　 D．The delays force airport employees to earn overtime pay .

4．The main reason why Mckinley disliked her name was that 　　　　　.

　　　 A．she doesn’t like President Mckinley

　　　 B．the name was difficult to spell

　　　 C．her name was not the same as other children’s

　　　 D．she did not know she had the presidential name

三十四

Have you ever had travel problems because your airplane was late ? It is a common problem and it is getting worse . Airport delays make people angry and cost the country billions in lost work time .

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the government agency that oversees air travel . They studied the problem of airline delays .

They found eleven major problems and proposed eleven ways to fix them . Some of the problems are mused (冥想) because different regions of the country do things differently . The regions don’t talk to each other enough . Some of them need new computers.

Also , more planes are flying . A strong economy has more people using airplanes to get around . Airplanes are a form of mass transportation now , like trains and buses were in the past . More planes in the airport cause delays .

The airport in San Francisco is a good example . It is growing fast . Many people go through Sand Francisco to get to other places around the world .

Ron Wilson of the San Francisco International Airport says, “If you’ve got 18 flights that all want to take off at 8:00 a.m. and you’re on the 18th plane in line, you’re going to be 40 minutes late .”

Weather is another main reason for delays .

Weather causes about 70% of delays. Fog or freezing rain can cause delays .The first thing the FAA wants to do is take control away from the regions during heavy traffic times and bad weather . A national center would make decisions on things that affect the whole country . The FAA also wants to put more distance between planes in the sky when the weather is bad . This role could cause even more delays .

The FAA knows that their solutions will not cure the problems with airport delays . But they hope to make things better . There are just too many planes , too few traffic controllers , and not enough new technology .

3．Which of the following is TRUE?

　　　 A．The children were interested in history partly because of their names .

　　　 B．The children were excited because their brother Harrison once signed the Declaration of Independence .

　　　 C．The seven children liked their names very much .

　　　 D．In the family , there were seven presidents .

2．We can learn from the passage that the fourth eldest child was 　　　　　.

　　　 A．Kenney 　　　　　　 B．Tyler 　　　　　　　　 C．Grant 　　　　　　　　 D．Regan

1．Why did the Schepplers call their daughter Regan ?

　　　 A．Because the 40th president of the United States was called Reagan .

　　　 B．Because Regan means princess .

　　　 C．Because their other children were all named after presidents.

　　　 D．Because their aunt asked them to .

3．The underlined word “This” in the last paragraph refers to “　　　　 ”.

　　　 A．pleasant tropical climate　　　　　　　　　　　 B．beautiful scenery

　　　 C．the sea with colorful life　　　　　　　　　　　 D．the coral reef

三十三

If someone were to ask Richard and Regina Scheppler’s children to name seven of the country’s presidents . They wouldn’t have any problem . They’d just have to think of their brothers and sisters .

The Scheppler’s children all have presidential names . There’s Tyler , Grant , McKinley , Kennedy, Harrison , Madison and Regan-although Regan’s name is spelled differently from Ronald Reagan and wasn’t intended as a reference to the 40th president .

“We named the first one Regan because her name means princess; Regina’s is queen; and Richard means king,” Richard Scheppler said in a story in Monday’s Lubbock Avalanche Journal .

“I had a great aunt who was a loyal Democrat , and she thought－she swore that we named her after Reagan the president,” he said.

Regina Scheppler said her great aunt didn’t admire President Reagan . “She wouldn’t call my daughter by anything but her middle name, and was stubborn about that,” she said .

After Regan Nicole, now 17, came Tyler Landmon Keith and the Schepplers , saw the presidential pattern developing . They named their third child Madison Elaine intentionally . She was followed by Grant William Earl, McKinley Ann, Kennedy Kate and Harrison James .

Regina Scheppler says that when the Declaration of Independence was a summer reading project , the children were excited because Harrison was one of the signers .

She said the children are more interested in history because of their names .

But McKinley Ann, who is five , found it tough in kindergarten at first because of all the letters in her name .

“She would tell us, ‘ Mama , other people have short names of just four or five letters,’” Regina Scheppler said .

2．Which of the following is TRUE?

　　　 A．Mauritius has something similar to the Caribbean or South Pacific.

　　　 B．Mauritius has a history of less than 40 years.

　　　 C．Mauritius has been a popular destination for Chinese tourists for many years.

　　　 D．The main food in Mauritius is local beer and rum.

1．Which group of the following topics is NOT discussed in the text?

　　　 A．Food and history.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．Scenery and population.

　　　 C．Location and sports.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D．Natural resources and agriculture.

4．It can be inferred from this passage that 　　　　　.

　　　 A．international students go to America in order to improve their English

　　　 B．international students can hardly make any friends in America

　　　 C．it is necessary for international students to make friends with Americans

　　　 D．it is bad for international students to get along with Americans

三十二

When most people think of tropical islands, lined with white sandy beaches and bright blue seas, it is often the Caribbean or South Pacific that comes to mind. But for Chinese tourists who want a taste of paradise on Earth there is new place to consider.

Mauritius, an island lying off the southeast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, has just been added to China’s list of tourist destinations. Rich in history, natural beauty and culture, the island has been a popular destination for the world’s tourists for many years.

On December 15 a total of eight African countries were added to the list. The others are Tunisia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Seychelles.

The island has passed through the controlling hands of a number of European powers, including Dutch, French and British. In 1968, Mauritius won its independence.

At present, over half the population of Mauritius in Hindu and another fifth is Muslim (穆斯林). Both groups are descendants (后裔) from workers brought to the island from India by the British. Some Chinese were also brought over to work. There are also descendants of African slaves and Franco Mauritians, the original settlers of the island.

One of the best things about the island is the food. There is a mouth watering mix of European, Chinese and Indian flavours and seafood is very popular. A typical Mauritian dinner might have Indian chicken curry, Chinese pork, British roast beef and French style vegetables. Boiled rice is served with just about everything. All that is washed down with a plentiful supply of local beer and rum (朗姆酒).

The pleasant tropical climate and scenery provide the perfect setting to enjoy everything. The sea is full of colorful life that lives around the coral reef (珊瑚礁). This makes Mauritius a wonderful place for swimming and diving. The large number of interesting fish means it is also an exciting place for those who like to go fishing.

3．When American students talk with international students, they 　　　　　.

　　　 A．always feel comfortable

　　　 B．usually become angry

　　　 C．often charge for money

　　　 D．usually get familiar with other cultures