The worst earthquake in 40 years shook South Asia on Sunday, starting with horrible waves that swept entire villages into the sea. At least 20,000 people in six countries were killed in the disaster, and millions were left homeless.
The quake shook deep beneath the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It was felt more than 3000 miles away in East Africa, where heavy tides kept fishermen at home and resorts（度假胜地）closed.
It was as if the sea had struck the land. Residents of Sri Lanka, a small island country off the coast of India, ran to the hills to find safety from the tsunami. Many took their radios, televisions, and other valuables with them. The disaster hit Sri Lanka hardest. Of its 20million people, 1 million lost their homes, and 10000 died.
“The water simply raised itself up and huge waves came ashore,” wrote eye-witness（目击者）Peter Thomas from India. “It was moving very fast. The force broke the glass walls of a restaurant on the beach here and damaged hundreds of boats.”
In some places, the tsunami struck with no warning. “The weather was fine with no clouds,” wrote an eye-witness in Indonesia. “Suddenly the seawater just hit the city. In some parts the water was up to chest level.”
A massive（大众的）effort to help the affected countries is already underway. Leaders from around the world have promised to help, and teams of aid workers and doctors are rushing to the sea. “The United States stands ready to offer all the help to those nations most affected.” Said White House spokesman Trent Duffy. Organizations from the Red Cross to the International Monetary Fund have started fund-raising（筹款）drives to make up the costs of rebuilding.
【小题1】 The underlined word “tsunami” in Paragraph 5 can probably be replaced by “__________.”

B
South Korea has offered about 10,000 tons of corn to North Korea, in what would be the first official aid to its hungry neighbor for almost two years．The South also offered 20 tons of milk powder and medicine for children, pregnant women and other vulnerable people, its unification ministry said．The proposed shipmen would be through the Red Cross．It would be the first official one since a conservative government came to power in Seoul in February 2008．The South Korean administration of President Lee Myung-bak has linked major assistance to progress on denuclearisation．
However, after months of bitter hostility, the communist North began making peace overtures（提议，提案） to the South in recent months．Persistent media reports have also said the two sides have held preliminary talks about a possible summit．
The amount of food aid on offer is tiny relative to the needs in what the United Nations recently described as the famine-hit North．A third of North Korean women and young children are malnourished（营养不良的） and the country will run short of almost 1．8 million tons of food this year, the United Nations World Food Program said in a report last month．The unification ministry admitted it was far less than needed but said the North must mend relations before shipments could be increased．
"We cannot say 10,000 tons is sufficient in view of North Korea's food shortage and other conditions," said ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-Joo．"We are providing purely humanitarian aid," she said．
"There is no change in our position that massive food aid depends on how relations between the two Koreas develop," she said．North Korea has yet to respond to the latest offer, made through the Red Cross．But Yonhap news agency said it was likely co-ordinated in advance before the announcement．
Last year the South offered 50,000 tons of corn, but the North rejected the shipment amid high tensions．
North Korea has relied on food aid from China, South Korea and aid agencies to feed millions of its people since a famine in the 1990s resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands．
50．How would North Korea be offered about 10,000 tons of corn from South Korea?
A．North Korea would buy corn from South Korea．
B．North Korea would exchange with South Korea．
C．The offer would be through the Red Sea．．
D．The offer would be through an international organization
51．About whether South Korea would go on offering assistance, we can infer from the passage that________________．
A．they would go on without any condition
B．they would go on if there was a famine in North Korea
C．it depended on how their relation would develop
D．it depended on whether North Korea needed it
52．How did North Korea survive since a famine in the 1990s?
A．They depended on the international aid from all other countries
B．They developed their agriculture to increase the production
C．They expanded the agricultural land
D．They relied on food aid from China, South Korea and aid agencies
53．What is the main idea of the passage?
A． It’s about the aid to South Korea from North Korea
B．It tells about the help between South Korea and North Korea
C．It’s about the help to the Poor
D．It tells about an action of the Red Cross

In war, the Red Cross is supposed to offer help _________ there is human suffering.

A. whoever                          B. however                          C. whatever                         D. whenever

The whole world is helping tsunami (海啸) victims. Students in the U.S. are also taking part. A friend of mine suggested that we organize a relief effort for the victims. We are officers of the American Red Cross at Yale (I’m the chairperson). After sending a letter to the other members of the Red Cross, I received a large number of responses from students interested in helping.

We decided to organize a charity concert to raise money for tsunami-ravaged areas. All ticket earnings will go directly to our parent organization, the American Red Cross. Currently, we’re in the process of inviting Yale’s numerous song, dance, and chamber music groups to perform at the concert.

So far, we’ve had a great response from these groups and volunteers have continued to pour in with their ideas and feedback. When I checked my inbox this morning, I had 56 tsunami fundraiser-related emails waiting for me. Although, everyone is still on winter vacation and away from school, we have the Internet to link up Yalies from around the globe. We share ideas not on the latest video games, but on how best to provide help.

The Red Cross at Yale is not alone in its aid effort. Student organizations across campus are working hard to raise funds and provide help to those who need it.

Yale’s South Asian Society (SAS) and the Asian American Students Alliance (AASA), which is an umbrella  organization for many other groups including the Sri Lankan Students Association, are organizing charity dinners.

The food will be donated（捐赠）by restaurants from around campus. Every last penny of the earnings will be donated to a non-profit organization providing aid to South Asia.

After some discussion with the SAS and AASA, our groups have decided to plan our two events together. Students can attend the benefit dinner then go to the charity concert. There is no doubt in my mind that both events will have a fantastic turnout.

What does the writer mainly talk about in this passage?

A. A charity concert to help tsunami victims.

B. The efforts of the American Red Cross at Yale to help tsunami victims.

C. The worldwide efforts to help tsunami victims.

D. What the Americans do to help tsunami victims.

The author keeps in touch with Yalies to ______.

A. ask them to offer help               B. inform them the latest news

C. ask them to join in the concert         D. ask them to work for the Red Cross

What does “both events” refer to in the last paragraph?

A. SAS and AASA.

B. The Red Cross at Yale and the American Red Cross.

C. The benefit dinner and the charity concert.

D. Raising funds and providing help.

Which of the following is NOT right?

A. Students were taking an active part in the activity

B. The American Red Cross at Yale raised money for tsunami-ravaged areas by organizing a charity concert

C. Other organizations are working hard to raise funds and provide help to those who need it.

D. The tsunami happened in South America.

When the weather turns warm, everyone wants to be in or around the water. Learning how to keep safe is necessary if you plan to go swimming.

“Buddy up!” Always swim with a partner, every time-and this is very important. Even experienced swimmers can become tired or face sudden accidents, which might make it difficult to get out of the water. When you swim together, you can help each other or go for help in a minute.

Get skilled. It’s good to go be fully prepared. Learning some life-saving skills can help you save a life. A number of organizations offer free classes to both beginning and experienced swimmers and boaters. Check with local hospitals, or the Red Cross.

Know your limits (极限). Swimming an be a lot of fun and you might want to stay in the water as long as possible. If you’re not a good swimmer or you’re just learning to swim, don’t go in water that’s so deep for you and don’t try to keep up with skilled swimmers. That can be dangerous, especially when your friends are challenging you.

If you are a good swimmer and have had lessons, keep an eye on friends who aren’t as comfortable or as skilled as you are. If they or you are getting tired, you should take a break for a while.

Swim in safe areas only. It’s a good idea to swim only in places that are directed by a lifeguard. No one can expect changing ocean currents (水流), sudden storms, or other dangers. In the event that something does go wrong, lifeguards trained in life-saving skills are ready to help.

Swimming in an open body of water like a lake is different from swimming in a pool. Do your research so you know where not to swim, and pay attention to any warning sign(警告标志) posted in the area.