8.The word “survive” in this passage probably means ______.

A. remain alive after　　　　　　 B. be frightened

C. fight against　　　　　　　　 D. try to get rid of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Words per minute ______

%Comprehension _______

Passage 42

Our Environment and Humanity

　 In the past, man did not have to think about protection of his environment. There were very few people on the earth, and natural resources seemed to be unlimited.

　 Today things are different. The world has become too crowded. We are using up our natural resources too quickly, and at the same time we are polluting our environment with dangerous chemicals. If we continued to do this, human life on earth will not survive.

　 Everyone realizes today that if too many fish are taken from the sea, there will soon be none left. Yet, with modern fishing methods, more and more fish are caught. We know that if too many trees are cut down, forests will disappear and nothing will grow on land. Yet, we continue to use bigger and more powerful machines to cut down more and more trees.

　 We realize that if rivers are polluted with waste products from factories, we will die. However, in most countries waste is still put into rivers into the sea, and there are few laws to stop this.

　 We know too that if the population of the world countries is to rise at the present rate(率)in a few years, there will not be enough food.

　 What can we do to solve these problems?

　 If we eat more vegetables and less meat, there will be more food available(可用的)for everyone. Land that is used to grow crops feeds five times more people than land where animals are kept.

　 Our natural resources will last longer if we learn to recycle them.

　 The world population will not rise so quickly if people use modern methods of birth control.

　 Finally, if we educate people to think about the problems, we shall have a better and cleaner planet in the future.

　　　　　　　　　　　　 Length 299

Total Reading Time ___

_____________________________________________________________________

Answer the following questions without referring to the reading:

7.The scene above was played by actors and actresses. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

6.Those who try to run out in an earthquake have more chances to be killed.　　 T　　 F

5.You should cry for help and wait for somebody to save you in an earthquake. T　 F

4.You should find a place and hide in it within ten seconds where

something is strong enough to hold against the falling ceilings　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

3.You’d better not move and lie on the floor immediately if an earthquake

happens.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

2.When an earthquake happens, you must open the door quickly and run out　　

down the stairs as son as you can.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F

1.This passage is about _____.

A. an earthquake which happened in Tangshan

B. a film which tells people how to survive in an earthquake

C. what workers do in factories when an earthquake happens

D. the 25^th anniversary of the Tangshan Earthquake

8. The underlined phrase in the very heart of means ____.

A. all over 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. near the center

C. right in the middle of 　　　　　　　　　 D. the most important

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Words per minute ______

%Comprehension _______

Passage 41

The Right Way to Survive an Earthquake

　 The light is swaying; the building is shaking. A woman with a baby in her arms is trying to open the door, but fails. Finding no way, she rushes into the bathroom and there they survive the earthquake.

　 In a factory building, as the workshop floor swings under the terrible shaking, workers run for safety. Some hide under machines and survive, but others who try to run outside are killed by the falling ceilings.

　 These scene, played by actors and actresses, are from a film of science education “Making a split second decision” shown this year on China Central TVB to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Tangshan Earthquake on July 28.

　 By studying actual cases in the earthquake areas and scientific experiments, experts found that a building remains untouched for the first 10 seconds of an earthquake.

　 In this short time, one has the best chance of surviving an earthquake by staying near inside walls, in bathrooms and under beds, experts concluded in the film.

　 “Earthquakes seems to catch the lives of those who run,” said many survivors in the earthquake areas, describing how their friends were killed on the doorways or along the stair steps as they try to get out of the building.

　 Their advice was proved in the film: “Take a hiding-place where you are rather than run, unless you are sure you can reach a safe open place with ten seconds.”

　　　　　　　 　　　　　Length 243

Total Reading Time ___

_____________________________________________________________________

Answer the following questions without referring to the reading:

7.People can see films on the planes.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 T　　 F