One bitterly cold day, a snowstorm blew into our area. Needing firewood, I quickly set out with my best friend, Bruce, to look for a tree to cut down. I was glad to have Bruce along. Cutting down a tree in a snowstorm can be dangerous. So it was important to have a friend who could warn me of dangers.

When I chose a big 23-meter-tall tree and prepared to cut it down, my best friend suddenly warned me, “Don’t cut down that tree! It’s too close to the power line!” I wasn’t sure about it. So I decided to disregard his warning. I wanted to finish the job quickly and go home. So I began cutting down the tree. When the tree fell, there was no longer any doubt that my friend was right.

The tree caught the power line, bringing it to the ground. I considered cutting the tree off the line. After all, electricity can’t travel through wood, so I could safely remove the tree. As I reached out my finger to touch the tree, pain ran up my arm and through my head. I had been shocked!

After I returned home and told my mother what had happened, she quickly called the power company. Workers from the power company soon arrived on the scene. One of them asked if I had touched the tree, and when I told him I had, his face turned pale.

“You should have been killed,” he said.

So why am I still alive? It was my boots that saved my life.

Within two hours, the workers removed the tree. Soon the snowstorm calmed down—but not my mother.

Even though she was glad I wasn’t hurt, my mother was well serious with me. After all, I shouldn’t have brushed off my friend’s warning.

Through this experience, I learned that it’s important to listen to people who offer a different perspective(观点). Taking the time to listen might actually save a lot of time and trouble. It certainly would have kept me from getting the “shock of my life”.

1.The underlined word “disregard ” in the second paragraph means “________”.

A．pay no attention to

B．take notice of

C．consider

D．follow

2.In spite of Bruce’s warning, the author still cut the tree because ________.

A．he was sure there would be nothing to happen

B．he wasn’t sure whether Bruce was right and was anxious to go home

C．he didn’t hear his friend’s warning at all because of the blowing wind

D．he was angry with his friend and didn’t want to listen to him

3.The author wrote the passage mainly to _______.

A．give an account of one of his terrible experiences

B．make us know it’s important to listen to people who offer a different perspective (观点) through his experience

C．tell us not to cut trees down any more

D．remind us to be careful while working

4. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．But for his boots, the writer would have died.

B．The writer regretted having brushed off his friend’s warning.

C．The writer knew nothing about electricity.

D．When the tree was cut down, the writer realized his friend was right

 

The year is 2094.It has been announced that a comet(彗星) is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two pieces will probably__1__the southern half of the Earth.

__2__17 July, a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth's __3__ with a massive explosion. About half of the piece is destroyed, but the __4__  part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of __5__. The sea __6__ and a huge hole is made in the sea bed.Huge waves are created and spread out from the hole. The wall of water, a kilometer high, rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour. Cities on the African are totally destroyed and millions of people are__7__.

Before the waves reach South America, the second piece of the comet __8___ in Argentina.Earthquakes and volcanoes are__9__ off in the Andes Mountains. The shock __10__move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo are completely __11__by earthquakes. Millions of people in the __12__ half of the earth are already dead, __13__  the north won't be safe for long. Because of the explosions, the sun is __14__  by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world falls to almost zero. Crops are ruined.The sun won't be seen again for many years. Wars __15__ as countries fight for __16__.A year later, no more than 10 million people remain __17__.

Could it really __18__？ In fact, it has already more than once in the history of the Earth. Science shows that the dinosaurs(恐龙)__19__on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared.Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of heavenly object. The dinosaurs couldn't live __20__ the cold climate that followed and they died out. Will we meet the same end?

1．A.attack  　　　B．hit　　　　C．beat　　　　 D．damage

2．A.On          B．In         C．At          D．During

3．A.air          B．environment  C．situation    D．atmosphere

4．A.rest         B．other       C．remaining    D．half

5．A.sound          B．light          C．earth               D．air

6．A.burns           B．destroys        C．harms            D．boils

7．A.dead             B．lost              C．killed               D．damaged

8．A.enters          B．comes          C．flies               D．lands

9．A.sent              B．set              C．caused                 D．made

10．A.rocks          B．waves         C．earth             D．shakes

11．A.damaged     B．changed      C．ruined      D．injured

12．A.southern    B．northern     C．western      D．eastern

13．A.and        B．besides      C．but         D．so

14．A.colored     B．hidden     C．polluted       D．shut

15．A.come out    B．erupt     C．take place     D．break out

16．A.water     B．money      C．food        D．the earth

17．A.dead     B．injured      C．active       D．on the earth

18．A.be true           B．happen

C．hit the earth      D．destroy the world

19．A.have been  B．had been  C．were      D．would be

20．A.for        B．through   C．with      D．on

                              D
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet (彗星) is heading towards the Earth . Most of it will miss our planet , but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth .
On 17 July , a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth’s atmosphere (大气层) with a massive explosion . About half of the piece is destroyed , but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound . The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed . Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole . The wall of water , a kilometer high , rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour . Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people re drowned .
Before the waves reach South America , the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina . Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains . The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean . The cities of Los Angeles , San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes . Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long . Because of the explosions , the sun is hidden by clouds of dust , temperatures around the world fall to almost zero .Crops are ruined . The sun won’t be seen again for many years . Wars break out as countries fight for food . A year later , no more than 10 million people remain alive .
Could it really happen ? In fact , it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth . The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years . Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared . Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space . The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out . Will we meet the same end ?
【小题1】What is mainly described in the passage ?

A．A historic discovery .	B．An event of imagination
C．A research on space .	D．A scientific adventure .

【小题2】When the first piece hits the South Atlantic , it causes           .

A．an earthquake	B．damages to cities
C．an Earth explosion	D．huge waves

【小题3】Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long ?

A．Because the land is covered with water

B．Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the earth .

C．Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero .

D．Because wars break out among countries .

The news was a terrible blow to her, but she will _____ the shock soon.

   A. get out      B. get through     C. get off      D. get over

The news was a terrible blow to her, but she will _____ the shock soon.

   A. get out      B. get through     C. get off      D. get over