D

First the ground shook in Haiti, then Chile and Turkey. The earthquakes keep coming hard and fast this year, causing people to wonder if something evil (邪恶的) is happening underfoot.

It’s not.

While it may seem as if there are more earthquakes occurring, there really aren’t. the problem is what’s happening above ground, not underground, experts say.

More people are moving into big cities that happen to be built in quake zones, and they’re rapidly putting up buildings that can’t withstand (经受) earthquakes, scientists believe.

And around-the-clock news coverage (报道) and better earthquake monitoring make it seem as if earthquakes are ever-present.

“I can definitely tell you that the world is not coming to an end,” said Bob Holdsworth, an expert in tectonics (筑造学) at Durharn University in the UK.

A 7.0 magnitude quake in January killed more than 230,000 people in Haiti. Last month, an 8.8 magnitude quake--- the fifth-strongest since 1900—killed more than 900 people in Chile. And two weeks ago, a 6.0 magnitude quake struck rural eastern Turkey, killing at least 57 people.

On average, there are 134 earthquakes a year that have a magnitude between 6.0 and 6.9, according to the US Geological Survey. This year is off to a fast start with 40 so far—more than in most years for that time period.

But that’s because the 8.8 quake in Chile generated a large number of strong aftershocks, and so many quakes this early in the year skews (扭曲) the picture, said Paul Earle, a US seismologist (地震学家).

Also, it’s not the number of quakes, but their devastating (破坏性的) impacts that gain attention, with the death tolls (死亡人数) largely due to construction standards and crowding, Earle added. “The standard mantra (咒语) is earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings do, ” he said.

There have been more deaths over the past decades from earthquakes, said University of Colorado geologist Roger Bilham. In an opinion column last month in the journal Nature, Bilham called for better construction standards in the world’s big cities.

Of the 130 cities worldwide with populations of more than 1 million, more than half are prone (倾向于) to earthquakes, Bilham said.

Developing nations, where populations are booming, don’t pay attention to earthquake preparedness, Bilham said.” If you have a problem feeding yourself, you’re not really going to worry about earthquakes.”

Another reason quakes seem worse is that we’re paying attention more. The Haiti earthquake quickly followed by the 8.8 in Chile made everyone start to think.

But it won’t last, said US disaster researcher Deniis Mileti. “People are paying attention to the violent planet we’ve always lived on,” Mileti said.” Come back in another six months if there has been no earthquakes, most people will have forgotten it again. ”

73. What is the main idea of the article?

A. The number of earthquakes is increasing this year.     

B. The reasons why earthquakes are so devastating.

C. The reasons why recent earthquakes have struck large cities.

D. Why earthquakes seem to be more serious this year.

74. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the seeming increase in earthquakes this year，

according to the article?

A. Greater underground activity.      

B. A larger number of buildings prone to damage during earthquakes.

C. Around-the-clock news coverage.   

D. Better earthquake monitoring.

75. According to the article, it is safe to say that ______.

A. there is an evil force beneath the world’s surface

B. large cities are always built in quake zones

C. enough attention has been paid to reducing the impact of earthquakes

D. the earthquake in Chili caused many aftershocks.

76. According to the article, the greater damage of earthquakes this year can be mainly caused by ______.

A. the occurrence of larger earthquakes

B. insufficient warnings about earthquakes

C. poor construction standards and overcrowding

D. an increase in large cities

   It was a cool October evening. Excitement and family members （36） the hall. I was only a 7-year-old girl, but I was the center of  (37) . Finally, after weeks of preparation, I would  (38)  all my hard work in a dance of performance. Everything would be (39) —so I thought. I waited backstage all  (40 )  in my black tights with a golden belt. In a loud and clear voice, the master of ceremonies (41) that my class was next.
My dance class was doing a routine on wooden boxes two feet by two feet, facing the (42). All I had to do in the next move was to put one foot on the box next to mine and keep my other foot on my box. It really was an  (43) move. I was concentrating so much  (44) the huge smile on my face and holding my head up that I did not look  (45) I was going. I missed my partner’s box altogether and  (46) .There I was standing on the stage floor when my classmates were on top of their boxes. I could hear giggles(咯咯笑) coming from the audience, and I felt the  (47) rush to my face. I remembered my dance teacher had told us, “If you make a mistake, keep smiling so the audience will not (48) .I did my best to follow her  (49) as I continued with the routine.
When the curtain dropped, so did my  (50) for the evening. I (51) bitterly, tasting the salt from the tears that streamed down my face. I ran backstage, but no one could  (52) me down.
Recently I realized I had been a  (53) that night. I was  (54) but I fought the urge to run off the stage. (55) I finished the routine with a smile on my face. Now when friends and family laugh about the time I slipped during a dance performance, I can laugh too.

You Are Going Places

I work at a local restaurant in town as cashier, seater and waiter.

I went to work feeling     1.     . And to make things worse, I was busy that evening.

It’s the same thing over and over again.     2.     with customers who complain about their

food and where they are    3.   is too big or too small. Little things like that tend to  4.    

a lot of us     5.     but we manage to deal with it.

Three elderly ladies walked in and sat by the windows. It happened to be the very   6.    

near where I keep the dirty      7.    in the boxes. Trying to keep up with all the dirty tables,

customers leaving and coming in and    8.   running all over the house, it was crazy.  9.   

these elderly women were watching   10.    I was working to make sure every table was clean

and ready for the next customers.

When they    11.    their meals, I took their plates back to the kitchen. They talked to me

for a while about school, how I was doing, what  12.     I was in and what I planned to do in

the future.

    13.    they were leaving, they walked past me and one of them said to me in a    14.   

and gentle voice, “You are going places. And that was it.” They left the    15.    and I had tears

in my eyes, because they gave me    16.    to believe in myself. They    17.    my spirit from

being down and gave me a    18.    to keep on working hard.

People used to tell me that I couldn’t have a career in   19.   until I had a degree. I’m now

a co-anchor(联合支持人)of a student-produced television     20.     . And the best thing is:

I’m only 17 years old and I am a senior in high school.

21.               A．tired           B．excited         C．up   D．down

22.               A．Dealing         B．Helping         C．Talking    D．Meeting

23.               A．sat            B．seated         C．laid   D．seating

24.               A．attract         B．avoid          C．adjust D．annoy

25.               A．employees      B．customers      C．bosses    D．employers

26.               A．table          B．box            C．spot  D．kitchen

27.               A．dishes         B．rooms          C．clothes    D．chairs

28.               A．men           B．women         C．servers    D．people

29.               A．And           B．Or            C．But   D．So

30.               A．what           B．how           C．where D．why

31.               A．finished        B．completed      C．ordered   D．got

32.               A．place          B．grade          C．mark D．position

33.               A．Before         B．While          C．As   D．After

34.               A．confident       B．loud           C．low   D．pleasant

35.               A．kitchen         B．house          C．restaurant D．table

36.               A．ability          B．courage        C．imagination D．time

37.               A．put down       B．picked up       C．took over  D．pointed out

38.               A．cause          B．reason         C．present   D．permission

39.               A．television       B．government     C．school D．restaurant

40.               A．company       B．station         C．show D．advertisement

   It was a cool October evening. Excitement and family members （36） the hall. I was only a 7-year-old girl, but I was the center of  (37) . Finally, after weeks of preparation, I would  (38)  all my hard work in a dance of performance. Everything would be (39) —so I thought. I waited backstage all  (40 )  in my black tights with a golden belt. In a loud and clear voice, the master of ceremonies (41) that my class was next.

My dance class was doing a routine on wooden boxes two feet by two feet, facing the (42). All I had to do in the next move was to put one foot on the box next to mine and keep my other foot on my box. It really was an  (43) move. I was concentrating so much  (44) the huge smile on my face and holding my head up that I did not look  (45) I was going. I missed my partner’s box altogether and  (46) .There I was standing on the stage floor when my classmates were on top of their boxes. I could hear giggles(咯咯笑) coming from the audience, and I felt the  (47) rush to my face. I remembered my dance teacher had told us, “If you make a mistake, keep smiling so the audience will not (48) .I did my best to follow her  (49) as I continued with the routine.

When the curtain dropped, so did my  (50) for the evening. I (51) bitterly, tasting the salt from the tears that streamed down my face. I ran backstage, but no one could  (52) me down.

Recently I realized I had been a  (53) that night. I was  (54) but I fought the urge to run off the stage. (55) I finished the routine with a smile on my face. Now when friends and family laugh about the time I slipped during a dance performance, I can laugh too.

You Are Going Places

       One day I came home from school, changed my clothes and got ready for work．I work at a local restaurant in town as a cashier, seater and waiter．

       I went to work feeling  31   . And to make matters worse, I was busy that evening．It' s the same thing over and over again． 32  with customers who complain about their food and where they are  33  is too big or too small．Little things like that tend to  34  a lot of us  35  but we manage to deal with it．

       Three elderly ladies walked in and sat by the windows．It happened to be the very  36  near where I keep the dirty  37  in the boxes．Trying to keep up with all the dirty tables, customers leaving and coming in and  38  running all over the house, it was crazy． 39  these elderly women were watching  40  I was working to make sure every table was clean and ready for the next customers．

       When they  41  their meals, I took their plates back to the kitchen．They talked to me for a while about school, how I was doing, what  42  I was in and what I planned to do in the future．

       43  they were leaving, they walked past me and one of them said to me in a  44  and gentle voice,"You are going places．And that was it．They left the  45  and I had tears in my eyes, because they gave me  46 to believe in myself．They  47  my spirit from being down and gave me a  48  to keep on working hard．

       People used to tell me that Icouldn t have a career in  49  until I had a degree．I'm now a co-anchor （联合主持人）ofa student-produced television  50  . And the best thing is: I'm only 17 years old and I am a senior in high school．

31．A．tired                       B．excited                    C．up                          D．down

32．A．Dealing                   B．Helping                   C．Talking                   D．Meeting

33．A．sat                         B．seated                     C．laid                         D．seating

34．A．attract                    B．avoid                      C．adjust                     D．annoy

35．A．employees               B．customers               C．boss                       D．employers

36．A．table                       B．box                        C．spot                       D．kitchen

37．A．dishes                     B．rooms                     C．clothes                   D．chairs

38．A．men                       B．women                   C．servers                   D．people

39．A．And                        B．Otherwise               C．But                         D．So

40．A．what                      B．how                       C．where                     D．why

41．A．finished．               B．completed               C．ordered                   D．got

42．A．place                      B．grade                      C．mark                      D．position

43．A．Before                    B．While                      C．As                          D．After

44．A．confident                B．loud                        C．low                        D．pleasant

45．A．kitchen                   B．house                     C．restaurant               D．table

46．A．ability                     B．courage                  C．imagination             D．time

47．A．put down                B．picked up                C．took over                D．pointed out

48．A．cause                     B．reason                    C．present                   D．permission

49．A．television                B．government             C．school                    D．restaurant

50．A．company                B．station                    C．show                      D．advertisement