第一节(共15小题;每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
An incredible dog has mastered more than just the doggy paddle (狗刨式游泳) — the golden brown pet helps disabled children learn how to surf. Ricochet’s owner Judy Fridono said, “I was working with her at balance and coordination (协作). Her balance is so good that she can help to stabilize the board for the kids. And it makes them feel good to know that Ricochet is there with them, keeping them company.”
After becoming an expert, two-year-old Ricochet helps the disabled children build up the confidence to get on the board themselves. Dressed in a yellow jacket, Ricochet helps to counter-balance the board and acts as a reassuring presence.
Ms. Fridono knows what an impact her beloved dog can have. She herself was severely disabled since her teens. Having Ricochet around lifts her spirits, and inspires her to conquer her pain to get on the board. “Ricochet has taught me to focus on what I can do, rather than what I can’t,” she said.
One of those who have benefited from Ricochet’s skills is six-year-old Ian McFarland. In 2008 a car crash left him with brain damage. Although he had loved surfing before the accident, he was too nervous to go back into the water. His fear turned to excitement, when he was told he could try a tandem surf session with Ricochet. Their session was a success and by the end of it, Ian was smiling from ear to ear. As well as helping with treatments, Ricochet also raised £5,000 to help continue Ian’s recovery.
Over the last 10 months, Ricochet’s excellent performances on the sea have raised more than £30,000 for a number of charity causes.
21. According to the passage, Ricochet is .
A. a doctor B. a dog C. a dog owner D. a disabled boy
22. What role does Ricochet play according to the passage?
A. She acts as a pet to please its owner.
B. She accompanies the disabled children at home.
C. She helps the disabled children learn to surf.
D. She works as a guide dog for the blind.
23. Ian McFarland considers Ricochet’s work to be .
A. challenging B. doubtful C. attractive D. satisfying
24. Which statement can best describe Ricochet?
A. The two-year-old dog is severely disabled.
B. Ricochet helps youngsters build up their confidence.
C. Ricochet helps youngsters in their daily life.
D. Ricochet is a lifesaver on the sea.
B
Never before in Chinese history has a documentary film aroused so much public enthusiasm. Everybody is talking about a new 7-part documentary called A Bite of China which was recently broadcast late at night on CCTV I. The documentary describes various gourmet items across the vast Chinese culinary (烹饪) landscape.
According to Taobao, China’s biggest online retail website, just five days after the series began to air, nearly 6 million people went to the site in search of various local specialties, particularly those mentioned in the documentary. More than 7.2 million deals were concluded. A ham producer from Yunnan Province saw his sales grow 17-fold in five days.
However, one can’t help but believe that the documentary’s popularity is probably linked to the endless stream of terrible food security issues that have emerged in recent years. In one well-received article, a netizen wrote, “I wonder how many felt so empty-hearted and sighed after watching the film. Blue-vitriol watered chive, formaldehyde(甲醛) sprayed cabbage, Sudan Red colored salty eggs, restaurants using gutter oil. The list is long…”
A varied and ancient food culture that is famous world-wide and which should have made the Chinese proud ends like this: one can only sigh. Food is the most vital thing in people’s lives. Yet China’s food industry is a typical description of “bad money driving out the good”.The market is huge while the cost of faking and cheating is so low for unscrupulous (不道德的) businessmen; and the punishment is too light. Take the milk industry as an example. Although Sanlu, the company that sold the melamine-adulterated milk powder, was punished, thousands of other dairies didn’t work hard to improve the quality. In order to allow national brands to survive, Chinese authorities are happy to loosen their regulations.
As the documentary shows, people are attracted not to gourmet items like matsutake, a species of rare mushroom grown naturally in remote forests, but to common Chinese dishes like barley, lotus root or tofu. They are what meet our basic needs. This explains why people are so excited about A Bite of China---it is a reminder that there is still a world out there where food is excellent and people have dignity.
25. The underlined word “gourmet items” probably means________.
A. beautiful clothes B. latest technology
C. delicious food D. great inventions
26. The second paragraph mainly talks about______.
A. the producer of the document B. the content of the document
C. the history of Chinese gourmet D. The popularity of the document
27. We can infer from what a netizen wrote in one well –received article that ______.
A. none of the television viewers have a knowledge of the Chinese food culture
B. there is a huge contrast between the ancient food culture and the reality
C. the price of food is too high for many common people
D. the documentary was made by a world-famous Chinese director
28. According to the passage, China’s food industry is full of faking and cheating because_____.
A. there are still so many poor people at the present time
B. the punishment for unscrupulous businessmen isn’t serious enough
C. the Chinese government encourages it to do so
D. the food technology is not so advanced as in developed countries
C
Superstorm Sandy’s march of destruction claimed at least 43 lives and left more than eight million people without electricity by late Tuesday, in one of the largest storms ever to strike the East Coast.
Less violent but still dangerous, the storm swept across Pennsylvania on Tuesday and the northeastern US began its slow process of recovery. As dawn broke Tuesday on the storm’s trail of destruction, it began exposing stories of heroism and tragedy, bad decisions and lucky breaks.
In Broad Channel in New York City, a 29-year-old mother was forced to dive and swim out of her house’s front window with her 8-year-old daughter. And in Freeport, N.Y., Nicole Smith returned home --- to find a boat on her lawn. She asked passers-by for $5 to take a snapshot. A 13-year-old girl was found dead, in her pajamas, a block from her washed-out Staten Island home. On Monday night, Sandy’s waves ripped out the entire deck of Jeffrey Ratner’s home, along with the back wall. Still, Mr. Ratner said, he remains optimistic about the future. “We are going to rebuild it,” he said.
The official warnings to evacuate(疏散)were clear, a couple said. But staying home just seemed easier. “It’s not their fault; it’s ours,” said Mary Norton, 88, head in her hands. “We did not leave.”
New York’s extensive transit system, a lifeline for millions of commuters(上下班往返的人), suffered the greatest damage as floodwaters drowned all seven subway tunnels connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. Jseph Lhota, Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, described it as the most destroying in the 108-year history of the New York subway.
Forecaster said Sandy, which had maximum continuing winds of 45 miles an hour Tuesday afternoon, would cross western Pennsylvania on Tuesday night before moving into Canada on Wednesday as it meets cold air fronts. Another inch of rain was expected from the eastern Great Lakes across the mid-Atlantic and into southern New England.
29. The passage mainly talks about________.
A. New York’s extensive transit system
B. when and why superstorm formed
C. the latest information about Sandy
D. superstorm Sandy’s destruction in America
30. Mary Norton and her husband didn’t leave their home because________.
A. they d idn’t know a superstorm was on the way
B. they didn’t believe the government’s warnings
C. they didn’t want to take the trouble to move
D. they had no chance of leaving before Sandy hit the area
