During the years after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, structural engineers have been trying hard to solve a question that would otherwise have been completely unthinkable: Can building be designed to stand catastrophic blasts (攻击；爆破) by terrorists?
Soon after the terrorist attacks on the twin towers, structural engineers from the University at Buffalo and the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) traveled to ground zero as part of a project funded by the National Science Foundation. They spent two days beginning the task of formulating (构思) ideas about how to design such structures and to search for clues on how to do so in buildings that were damaged, but still are standing.
“Our objective in visiting ground zero was to go and look at the buildings surrounding the World Trade Center, those buildings that are still standing, but that sustained damage,” said Mr. Bruneau, Ph.D. “Our immediate hope is that we can develop a better understanding as to why those buildings remain standing, while our long-term goal is to see whether earthquake engineering technologies can be married to existing technologies to achieve enhanced performance of buildings in the event of terrorist attacks,” he added.
Photographs taken by the investigators demonstrate the monumental damage to the World Trade Center towers and buildings nearby. One building a block away from the towers remains standing, but was badly damaged. “This building is many meters away from the World Trade Center and yet we see a column (柱子) there that used to be part of that building,” explained A. Whittaker, Ph.D. “The column became a missile that shot across the road, through the window and through the floor.”
The visit to the area also brought some surprises, according to the engineers. For example, the floor framing (框架) system in one of the buildings was quite strong , allowing floors that were pierced by tons of falling debris (残砾) to survive. “Good framing systems may provide a simple, but reliable strategy for blast resistance,” he added. Other strategies may include providing alternate paths for gravity loads in the event that a load-bearing column fails. “We also need a better understanding of the mechanism of collapse,” said A. Whittaker. “We need to find out what causes a building to collapse and how you can predict it.”
A. Reinhorn, Ph.D. noted that “earthquake shaking has led to the collapse of buildings in the past. Solutions developed for earthquake-resistant design may apply to blast engineering and terrorist-resistant design. Part of our mission now is to transfer these solutions and to develop new ones where none exist at present.”
【小题1】The question raised in the first paragraph is one _____ .

A．that was asked by structural engineers a month ago

B．that is too difficult for structural engineers a month ago

C．that was never thought of before the terrorist attack

D．that terrorists are eager to find a solution to

【小题2】The column mentioned by Dr. Whittaker _____ .

A．was part of the building close to the World Trade Center

B．was part of the World Trade Center

C．was shot through the window and the floor of the World Trade Center

D．damaged many buildings near the World Trade Center

【小题3】A surprising discovery made by the investigators during their visit to ground zero is that _____.

A．floors in the faraway buildings remained undamaged

B．some floor framing systems demonstrate resistance to explosion

C．complex floor framing systems are more blast resistant

D．floors in one of the buildings were pierced by tons of debris

【小题4】 What Dr. Reinhorn said in the last paragraph may imply all the following EXCEPT that _____.

A．blast engineers should develop new solutions for terror-resistant design

B．blast engineering can borrow technologies developed for terror-resistant design

C．solutions developed for earthquake-resistant design may apply to terrorist-resistant design

D．blast engineering emerges as a totally new branch of science

During the years after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, structural engineers have been trying hard to solve a question that would otherwise have been completely unthinkable: Can building be designed to stand catastrophic blasts (攻击；爆破) by terrorists?

    Soon after the terrorist attacks on the twin towers, structural engineers from the University at Buffalo and the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER) traveled to ground zero as part of a project funded by the National Science Foundation. They spent two days beginning the task of formulating (构思) ideas about how to design such structures and to search for clues on how to do so in buildings that were damaged, but still are standing.

    “Our objective in visiting ground zero was to go and look at the buildings surrounding the World Trade Center, those buildings that are still standing, but that sustained damage,” said Mr. Bruneau, Ph.D. “Our immediate hope is that we can develop a better understanding as to why those buildings remain standing, while our long-term goal is to see whether earthquake engineering technologies can be married to existing technologies to achieve enhanced performance of buildings in the event of terrorist attacks,” he added.

    Photographs taken by the investigators demonstrate the monumental damage to the World Trade Center towers and buildings nearby. One building a block away from the towers remains standing, but was badly damaged. “This building is many meters away from the World Trade Center and yet we see a column (柱子) there that used to be part of that building,” explained A. Whittaker, Ph.D. “The column became a missile that shot across the road, through the window and through the floor.”

    The visit to the area also brought some surprises, according to the engineers. For example, the floor framing (框架) system in one of the buildings was quite strong , allowing floors that were pierced by tons of falling debris (残砾) to survive. “Good framing systems may provide a simple, but reliable strategy for blast resistance,” he added. Other strategies may include providing alternate paths for gravity loads in the event that a load-bearing column fails. “We also need a better understanding of the mechanism of collapse,” said A. Whittaker. “We need to find out what causes a building to collapse and how you can predict it.”

    A. Reinhorn, Ph.D. noted that “earthquake shaking has led to the collapse of buildings in the past. Solutions developed for earthquake-resistant design may apply to blast engineering and terrorist-resistant design. Part of our mission now is to transfer these solutions and to develop new ones where none exist at present.”

1.The question raised in the first paragraph is one _____ .

A. that was asked by structural engineers a month ago

B. that is too difficult for structural engineers a month ago

C. that was never thought of before the terrorist attack

D. that terrorists are eager to find a solution to

2.The column mentioned by Dr. Whittaker _____ .

A. was part of the building close to the World Trade Center

B. was part of the World Trade Center

C. was shot through the window and the floor of the World Trade Center

D. damaged many buildings near the World Trade Center

3.A surprising discovery made by the investigators during their visit to ground zero is that _____.

A. floors in the faraway buildings remained undamaged

B. some floor framing systems demonstrate resistance to explosion

C. complex floor framing systems are more blast resistant

D. floors in one of the buildings were pierced by tons of debris

4. What Dr. Reinhorn said in the last paragraph may imply all the following EXCEPT that _____.

A. blast engineers should develop new solutions for terror-resistant design

B. blast engineering can borrow technologies developed for terror-resistant design

C. solutions developed for earthquake-resistant design may apply to terrorist-resistant design

D. blast engineering emerges as a totally new branch of science

 

 After the terrorist attack last month, anyone at the airport       heavy bags, bottles of liquid, or whatever, could be stopped and questioned by the police.

A. seen carrying                      B. seen carry     

C. seen to carry                       D. seen to be carrying

 

Americans hope Two-Thousand-Two will be happier than Two-Thousand-One. New York suffered terrible losses in the terrorist attacks on September Eleventh. However, the city is continuing with its New Year's Eve traditions in Times Square for the ninety-seventh year.

The tradition began in Nineteen-Oh-Four. That year, the owners of the building at Number One Times Square held a party on top of the building. Today, the New Year's Ball falls from the top of the same building. The ball contains thousands of pieces of lighted cut glass. It looks like burning stars as it falls through the darkness. When it reaches the ground, people in Times Square dance and sing. They throw tiny pieces of colorful paper into the air. Many people in the United States also watch this event on television.

Other cities also have New Year celebrations. For example, Chicago has a fireworks show. The fireworks are launched from the Navy Pier, a land area that extends into Lake Michigan. Some people like to watch the fireworks from a boat on the lake. The boat serves a special meal on New Year's Eve. People drink a special wine called Champagne to celebrate the clock striking midnight.

Many young people in Chicago celebrate New Year's Eve at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Children wear funny hats as they wish the animals a good New Year.

Many other Americans celebrate New Year's Eve with parties at home. Or they celebrate at public eating and drinking places. These events are usually noisy. People shout and sing. They often blow on small noise-makers when the New Year arrives at midnight. They kiss their husband or wife or the person they are with. They dance to broadcast music, records or live bands.

Some people drink too much alcohol at New Year's Eve celebrations. This can lead to tragic results if a person drinks too much and then drives a car. The National Safety Council says hundreds of people die in road accidents during the holiday.

In recent years, the danger of accidents has resulted in a new tradition called the "designated driver." One person among a group of friends drinks little or no alcohol during New Year's Eve celebrations. Then this designated driver can safely drive the other people home. Many American cities also offer free taxi service on New Year's Eve to take people home safely.

Other Americans observe the coming of the New Year at events without alcohol. More than two-hundred American cities hold these First Night celebrations. Artists in Boston, Massachusetts, started the tradition of First Night celebrations in Nineteen-Seventy-Six. They wanted to observe the coming of a New Year. But they did not want to hold noisy drinking parties. So they organized music, art and other events to observe the holiday.

66.What does the tradition refer to in the passage?

A. The celebration of New Year’s Eve.        B. The New Year’s Ball.

B. The fireworks show.                    D. The parties at home.

67.Why does the New Year’s Ball contain pieces of lighted cut glass?

A. To attract people in the square.            B. To light the Times Square

C. To give people atmosphere of a festival     D. To make people interested in the festival.

68. What is the passage mainly about?

A. To hope people remember the terrible suffering in the terrorist attacks

B. The colorful life of Americans.

C. The hopes of Americans in the coming new year.

D. The celebrating activities on New Year’s Eve in America.

69. How do Americans feel to the coming new year after the terrorist attacks?

A. sad, excited and hopeful             B. sad, excited and happy

C. happy, excited and hopeful           D. complicated, excited and hopeful.

70. The change people hope most to see in their tradition is __________

A. Less noise                        B. Drinking less alcohol

C. Fewer road accidents                D. Less tragedy

 

After the terrorist attack last month, anyone at the airport       heavy bags, bottles of liquid, or whatever, could be stopped and questioned by the police.

A. seen carrying                      B. seen carry     

C. seen to carry                       D. seen to be carrying