It is midnight on September 22, 2012. The sky above Manhattan，New York is filled with a curtain of colorful light. New Yorkers are fascinated by the beautiful aurora (极光). However, their fascination is short-lived.
Within a few seconds, electric bulbs dim and flicker (闪烁), then become unusually bright for a few seconds. Then all the lights go out. Within 90 seconds, the entire eastern half of the US is without power.
Besides the US, Europe, Japan and China are also hit by the same terrible event. It is a violent solar flare (太阳耀斑) ,150 million kilometers away on the surface of the sun.
Science fiction? No. A report funded by NASA and issued by the US National Academy of Sciences in January this year says it could happen.
A massive solar flare is most likely on a spring or autumn night in 2012, according to the report.
Solar flares are huge explosions on the surface of the sun. In a matter of just a few minutes they heat material to many millions of degrees and release as much energy as a billion megatons (百万吨) of TNT explosives. Solar flares release a stream of charged high-energy particles (粒子). They are called “solar winds”.
If one solar “wind” should hit the Earth’s magnetic shield (磁场), the result could be terrible for humans.
But there’s no need to run for cover from solar winds. They do not harm life on Earth, they only affect the way we live, especially since we depend so much on modern technology. They can pump extra electricity into power lines and pipelines, causing blackouts and fuel leaks. Solar winds are also known to affect mobile phone operations and may disrupt wireless Internet services.
Moreover, solar winds can prevent normal satellite operations, and disrupt radio communications and navigation systems such as the Global Positioning System.
Auroras are powered by solar wind. This wind blows past the Earth at about 400-700 km per second and creates storms in the Earth’s magnetic environment. In the polar regions these explode into southern or northern polar lights.
The most serious solar storm that hit Earth in history happened in 1859. It caused the failure of telegraph systems in Europe and North America.
So, for humans, the sun is a double-edged sword. Without the sun, there would be no life on Earth. Without the sun, Earth would be a frozen dark ball floating in space. However, on the other hand, the sun can disorder our lives from time to time.
56. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. It introduces to readers the advantages and disadvantages of the sun.
B. It describes a science fiction set in Manhattan on 22 September 2012.
C. It shows readers the way in which solar winds form inside the sun.
D. It explains what solar flares are and their effects on human life.
57. The first two paragraphs are written ____.
A. to show a beautiful scene in a true story
B. to describe the beautiful scenery of Manhattan
C. to describe the power problem around the world
D. to introduce the topic of this passage
58. What can we conclude from the passage?
A. Solar flares will do great harm to those who are using the Internet.
B. Solar flares cannot reach as far as the polar regions.
C. Solar flares are huge explosions that happen inside the sun.
D. But for our reliance on technology, solar flares wouldn’t
affect us so much.
59. Solar winds will likely affect us in the following ways EXCEPT that ____.
A. normal satellite operations will be stopped
B. the lights in the areas affected will go out at the same time
C. people on the streets will be struck to death
D. some navigation systems will be out of order

出国游有许多需要注意的事项。而付小费是很多国家的普遍现象。由于文化习俗的差异，不同的国家、不同的地区做法不尽相同。以下A、B、C、D、E和F是对亚洲一些城市给付小费的介绍，选出符合编号描述的选项。选项中有一项是多余选项。

1. Most expensive restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill.

2.Though tipping is not allowed, people who have served you accept tips in a certain way.

3.Culturally, tipping is unnecessary, but customers sometimes pay service charge when checking out.

4. If you want to get loyal service, you should give a tip more than 10%.

5.You ae not expected to pay tips at a low class hotel.

A

Bangkok （曼谷） There are no established rules of tipping in Bangkok, capital of Thailand. Some places expect it; others don’t. In general, the more westernized the place is, the more likely you’ll be expected to leave a tip.

   Restaurants: Some expensive restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill. If not, waiters will appr eciate your increasing by 10% yourself. However, if you’re eating at a cheap eatery, a ti is not necessary.

   Porters: At Bangkok’s many five-star hotels, you’re expected to tip the porter 20 to 50 baht(铢), depending on how many bags you have.

   Taxis: Taxis are now metered in Bangkok, so there’s no bargaining over your fare. The local custom is to round the fare up to the nearest five baht.

 B

Jakarta （雅加达）  Tipping is not part of the Indonesian culture, but international influences have turned some westernized palms upward in search of a few extra rupiah (卢比).

   Restaurants: A 10% service charge is added at most high-end restaurants. At moderately priced restaurants, 5,000 rupiah should do it---if the service is superb, add an extra 1,000 rupiah or so.

   Porters: Pay a few hundred rupiah for each bag.

   Taxis: Most drivers will automatically round up to the next 500 rupiah. Some will claim they have no change and will bleed you for more. Don’t accept anything more than a 1,000-rupiah increase.

C

Kuala Lumpur （吉隆坡）  Like Indonesia, tipping in Malaysia is only common in the expensive westernized joints, which often add a 10% service charge to your meal or hotel bill.

   Restaurants: If you are at a hotel restaurant, expect a 10% service charge or add the same amount yourself. But at local stalls, there’s no need to add a tip.

   Porters: At five-star hotels, one or two ringgit(林吉特) will be enough. At low-end establishments, you are not forced to tip.

   Taxis: Many taxis are now metered, so you can just round up to the nearest ringgit. In unmetered taxis, expect a session of hard bargaining for the ride.

D

Manila （马尼拉）  Tipping is common in Manila, the Philippines, and anything above 10% will gain you long-lasting loyalty.

   Restaurants: Even if a service charge is included, it is a custom to add another 5%-10% to the bill.

   Porters: Service in top hotels is good and should be rewarded with 20% pesos(比索) per bag.

   Taxis: Most taxis are metered, and rounding up to the next five pesos is a good rule of taking taxis.

E

Seoul   Tipping is not part of the Korean culture, although it has become a rule in international hotels where a 10% service charge is often added.

   Restaurants: If you are at a Korean barbecue (烧烤店), there’s no need to add anything extra. But a luxury Italian restaurant may require a 10% service charge.

   Porters: If you are at a top-end hotel, international standards apply, so expect to tip 500-1,000 won per bag.

   Taxis: Drivers don’t expect a tip, so unless you’re feeling remarkably generous, keep the change for yourself.

F

Singapore City   According to government rules in the Lion City, tipping is a no-no. It’s basically outlawed at Changi Airport and officials encourage tourists to neglect the 10% service charge that many high-end hotels add to the bill.

   Restaurants: Singaporeans tend not to leave tips, especially at the outdoor eateries. Nicer restaurants do sometimes charge a 10% service fee, but there’s no need to supplement that.

   Porters: Hotel staff are the one exception to the no-tipping rule. As a general guide, S$1 would be enough for baggage-lugging service.

   Taxis: Drivers don’t expect tips, but they won’t refuse if you want to round up the fare to the next Singaporean dollar.

It is midnight on September 22，2012．The sky above Manhattan，New York is filled with a curtain of colorful light． New Yorkers are fascinated by the beautiful aurora(极光)．However, their fascination is short-1ived．

 Within a few seconds，electric bulbs dim(变暗)and flicker(闪烁)，then become unusually bright for a few seconds．Then all the lights second  go out．Within 90 seconds，the entire eastern half of the US is without power．

 Besides the US，Europe，Japan and China are also  hit by the same terrible event．It is a violent solar flare(太阳耀斑)，150 million kilometers away on the surface of the sun．

 Science fiction? No．A report funded by NASA and issued by the US National Academy of Sciences in January this year says it could happen．

 A massive solar flare is most likely on a spring or autumn night in 2012，according to the report．

Solar flares are huge explosions on the surface of the sun．In a matter of just a few  minutes they heat material to many millions of degrees and release as much energy as a billion megatons(百万吨)of TNT explosives．Solar flares release a stream of charged high-energy particles(粒子)．They are called“solar winds”

 If one solar‘‘wind’’should hit the Earth's  magnetic shield(磁扬)，the result could be terrible for humans.

But there’s no need to run  for cover from solar winds．  They do not harm 1ife on  Earth，they only affect the way we live，especially since  we depend so much on modern  technology．They can pump extra electricity into power line,  and pipelines，causing blackouts and fuel leaks(泄漏).  Solar winds are also known to affect mobile phone operations, and may disrupt wireless Internet services．

Moreover, solar winds can prevent normal satellite operations，and disrupt radio communications  and navigation systems such as the Global Positioning System．

 Auroras  are  powered  by  solar wind．This wind blows  past the Earth at about 400-700 km per second and creates storms in the Earth’s magnetic environment．In the polar regions these explode into southern or northern polar lights．

 The most serious solar storm that hit Earth in history happened in 1859． It caused the failure of telegraph(电报)systems in Europe and  North America．

 So, for humans，the sun is  a  double-edged sword． Without1 the sun, there would  be no 1ife  on  Earth． Without the sun，   Earth would be a frozen dark   ball floating in space．However,  on the other hand，the sun can  disorder our 1ives from time  to time．    

10．What is the main idea of the passage?

A．It introduces to readers the advantages and disadvantages of the sun．

B．It describes a science fiction set in Manhattan on 22 September 2012．    

C．It shows readers the way in which solar winds form inside the sun．

D．It explains what solar flares are and their effects on human life．

11．The first two paragraphs are written_________.

A．to show a beautiful scene in a true story

B．to describe the beautiful scenery of Manhattan

C．to describe the power problem around the world

D．to introduce the topic of this passage

12．What can we conclude from the passage?

A．Solar flares will do great harm to those who are using the Internet．

B．Solar flares cannot reach as far as the polar regions．

C．Solar flares are huge explosions that happen inside the sun．    

D．1f it weren’t’t for our reliance on technology, solar flares probably wouldn’t affect us．

13．Solar winds will likely affect us in the following ways EXCEPT that    ．

A．normal satellite operations will be stopped

B．the lights in the areas affected will go out at the same time

C．people on the streets will be struck to death

D．some navigation systems will be out of order

出国游有许多需要注意的事项。而付小费是很多国家的普遍现象。由于文化习俗的差异，不同的国家、不同的地区做法不尽相同。以下A、B、C、D、E和F是对亚洲一些城市给付小费的介绍，选出符合编号描述的选项。选项中有一项是多余选项。
【小题1】 Most expensive restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill.
【小题2】Though tipping is not allowed, people who have served you accept tips in a certain way.
【小题3】Culturally, tipping is unnecessary, but customers sometimes pay service charge when checking out.
【小题4】 If you want to get loyal service, you should give a tip more than 10%.
【小题5】You ae not expected to pay tips at a low class hotel.
A
Bangkok （曼谷） There are no established rules of tipping in Bangkok, capital of Thailand. Some places expect it; others don’t. In general, the more westernized the place is, the more likely you’ll be expected to leave a tip.
Restaurants: Some expensive restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill. If not, waiters will appr eciate your increasing by 10% yourself. However, if you’re eating at a cheap eatery, a ti is not necessary.
Porters: At Bangkok’s many five-star hotels, you’re expected to tip the porter 20 to 50 baht(铢), depending on how many bags you have.
Taxis: Taxis are now metered in Bangkok, so there’s no bargaining over your fare. The local custom is to round the fare up to the nearest five baht.
B
Jakarta （雅加达）  Tipping is not part of the Indonesian culture, but international influences have turned some westernized palms upward in search of a few extra rupiah (卢比).
Restaurants: A 10% service charge is added at most high-end restaurants. At moderately priced restaurants, 5,000 rupiah should do it---if the service is superb, add an extra 1,000 rupiah or so.
Porters: Pay a few hundred rupiah for each bag.
Taxis: Most drivers will automatically round up to the next 500 rupiah. Some will claim they have no change and will bleed you for more. Don’t accept anything more than a 1,000-rupiah increase.
C
Kuala Lumpur （吉隆坡）  Like Indonesia, tipping in Malaysia is only common in the expensive westernized joints, which often add a 10% service charge to your meal or hotel bill.
Restaurants: If you are at a hotel restaurant, expect a 10% service charge or add the same amount yourself. But at local stalls, there’s no need to add a tip.
Porters: At five-star hotels, one or two ringgit(林吉特) will be enough. At low-end establishments, you are not forced to tip.
Taxis: Many taxis are now metered, so you can just round up to the nearest ringgit. In unmetered taxis, expect a session of hard bargaining for the ride.
D
Manila （马尼拉）  Tipping is common in Manila, the Philippines, and anything above 10% will gain you long-lasting loyalty.
Restaurants: Even if a service charge is included, it is a custom to add another 5%-10% to the bill.
Porters: Service in top hotels is good and should be rewarded with 20% pesos(比索) per bag.
Taxis: Most taxis are metered, and rounding up to the next five pesos is a good rule of taking taxis.
E
Seoul  Tipping is not part of the Korean culture, although it has become a rule in international hotels where a 10% service charge is often added.
Restaurants: If you are at a Korean barbecue (烧烤店), there’s no need to add anything extra. But a luxury Italian restaurant may require a 10% service charge.
Porters: If you are at a top-end hotel, international standards apply, so expect to tip 500-1,000 won per bag.
Taxis: Drivers don’t expect a tip, so unless you’re feeling remarkably generous, keep the change for yourself.
F
Singapore City  According to government rules in the Lion City, tipping is a no-no. It’s basically outlawed at Changi Airport and officials encourage tourists to neglect the 10% service charge that many high-end hotels add to the bill.
Restaurants: Singaporeans tend not to leave tips, especially at the outdoor eateries. Nicer restaurants do sometimes charge a 10% service fee, but there’s no need to supplement that.
Porters: Hotel staff are the one exception to the no-tipping rule. As a general guide, S$1 would be enough for baggage-lugging service.
Taxis: Drivers don’t expect tips, but they won’t refuse if you want to round up the fare to the next Singaporean dollar.