Today’s amazing newspaper headline!

First family of four to walk to the South Pole wearing Mickey Mouse ears and clown’s shoes.

    No, not really. It isn’t true. I invented it. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see it one day soon. It seems that every week someone becomes ‘the first’ or ‘the youngest’ or ‘the oldest’ or even ‘the first married couple’ to do something that doesn’t seem to be very useful to the rest of humanity.

This year I've seen headlines saying ‘The youngest person to sail the Atlantic alone’, ‘The youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest’, and ‘The first people to fly around the world in a hot air balloon’. Why do they do it? Don’t they have better things to do with their time and money? And why should I be interested anyway? Human beings have already climbed the highest mountains, sailed across the oceans and flown around the world. People have already reached the most remote parts of our planet. Many of these things were done a long, long time ago. There just isn’t anything left to explore nowadays. I suppose there’s still a lot of the universe left, and the bottom of the oceans is still a bit of a mystery, but you need a lot of technology to explore areas like that. So, those people who feel the need for adventure can only do things that have been done before. So they have to try and do it in a new way, or be ‘the fastest’ or ‘the youngest’ or ‘the oldest’ to do something that isn’t really new at all.

What is so great about climbing Mount Everest these days anyway? It’s become a popular tourist trip.

People pay thousands of dollars to be taken up the mountain by the local Sherpas, who lead the way and carry the bags. At any one time there are about a thousand people either climbing up or on their way back down. As a result, Everest is covered with rubbish and the Sherpas have to make special trips up the mountain to pick it up. The climbers are often inexperienced and when they get into trouble other people have to risk their lives to bring them down to safety. Helicopter crews have been killed trying to reach people who were stuck on the mountain.

In January 2003 a helicopter carrying two British men crashed into the sea near Antarctica. I'm not quite sure what they were trying to be ‘the first’ or ‘the youngest’ to do. The Chilean navy picked them up after a nine-hour rescue mission that cost tens of thousands of pounds, all paid for by the Chilean and British taxpayers.

Talking of taxpayers, many Australians are getting a bit fed up with record breakers. A lot of people trying to break sailing or rowing records get into trouble in the seas around Australia, so the Australian navy has to send ships to save them. There have been a lot of difficult, time-consuming rescue missions in recent years costing the Australian government millions of dollars. I suppose we can’t just leave them to drown, but personally, I think we should give the bill to the people who are rescued. Perhaps they would think twice about doing it if they had to pay for expensive insurance premiums（保費(fèi)）. Then I wouldn’t have to read about them in the newspapers either.

50.        The writer invents the newspaper headline in Paragraphs 1&2 to _________.

     A. persuade readers of a new theory              B. remind readers of an important event

     C. get readers interested in the topic        D. entertain readers with his humor

51.  By saying “It’s become a popular tourist trip”, the writer actually means that ___________.

     A. it's impossible to climb up Mountain Everest without help

B. Mount Everest is now covered with a lot of rubbish

C. climbing Mount Everest has already lost its true meaning

     D. people without experience may get in trouble or even danger

52.        Which of the following is the reason why many Australians dislike the record breakers?

     A. A great number of people try to break records in the seas around Australia.

     B. They have to pay for the costs of rescuing the record breakers.

     C. The Australian navy was not something intended for rescue work.

     D. The record breakers should pay for their insurance premiums themselves.

53.        The writer’s purpose of writing this article is to______________.

     A. explain the reasons why modern people prefer to adventure

     B. criticize the newspaper headlines that get readers shocked

     C. complain about all the high taxes people have to pay

     D. question the necessity of what record breakers are doing

54.        Which of the following is the best title of the passage?

     A. It’s All Been Done Before             B. Adventures Around the World

     C. What’s Record Breakers’ Life Like    D. Rescue Costs and Insurance

Erik Weihenmayer was born with an eye disorder. As a child his eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight completely. However, he did not lost his determination to lead a full and active life.
Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and diving. He competed in long-distance biking, marathons and skiing. His favorite sport, though, is mountaineering.
As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous 1000-meter rock wall of EI Capitan. Two years later, while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a time at 13, 000 feet above sea level---in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America. And then, on May25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest mountaineering challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles, one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.
Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. “When people think about a blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on top of the world.”
60. What was unusual about his wedding?
A. He got married on the summit of Mount McKinley.
B. He got married when climbing Mount Everest.
C. His wedding was held after he prepared a lot.
D. His wedding was held at 13, 000 feet above sea level.
61. What is Erik’s special method for climbing a mountain?
A. He takes his girlfriend with him.                     B. He does his share of his jobs.
C. He uses two long poles to help himself.         D. He keeps a good team around him.
62. Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?
a. He topped Mount McKinley.                            b. He became blind.
c. He challenged Mount Everest.                               d. He reached the peak of Kilimanjaro.
e. He climbed the rock wall of EI Capitan.
A. b, e, d, c, a                    B. b, a, e, d, c          C. b, a, e, c, d          D. b, e, a, d, c

Erik Weihenmayer was born with an eye disorder. As a child his  eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight  completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a  full and active life  Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He competed in long-distance biking, marathons and  skiing. His favorite sport, thought, is mountaineering.  As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous  1000-metre rock wall of EI Capitan. Two years later, while climbing   Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a  time at 13,000 feet above sea level－in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America.  And then , on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest mountaineering challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of  him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is  a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.  Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of  being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. “When people think about a  blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on the top of the world.

1.When was Erik born?

A. In 1967.        B. In 1995.       C. In 1968..         D. In 1969.

2.What was unusual about his wedding?

A. He got married on the summit of Mount McKinley.

B. He got married when climbing Mount Everest.

C. His wedding was held at 13,000 feet above sea level

D. His wedding was held after he prepared a lot.

3.What is Erik’s special method for climbing a mountain?

A. He takes his girlfriend with him.  B. He uses two long poles to help himself

C. He does his share of  the jobs.　  D. He keeps a good team around him.

4. Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?

a. He topped Mount McKinley.

b. He became blind.

c. He challenged Mount Everest.

d. He reached the peak of Kilimanjaro.

e. He climbed the rock wall of EI Capitan.

A. b a e d c 　　 B. b e d c a　      C. a b e d c 　     D. b a c d e

Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower. But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.

His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia's snowcapped Himalayas. At 26,545 feet, its peak is the 10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing.

"It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous," said Viesturs. "There's no simple way to climb it. There are threatening avalanches (雪崩) and ice falls that protect the mountain."

In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog's tale of climbing the icy Annapurna. Herzog's story was of frostbite (凍傷) and difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was hooked right away.

Viesturs got his start on Washington's Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding hikes in the summer. Fifteen years ago, he set out to walk up to the world's highest peaks. Finally, he's done.

The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with respect. "You have to use all of your senses, all of your abilities to see if the mountain will let you climb it," said Viesturs. "If we have the patience and the respect, and if we're here at the right time, under the right circumstances, they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down."

What's next for a man who can't stop climbing? "I'm going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back and enjoy the summer," says Viesturs. But for a man who's climbed the world's 14 tallest mountains, he will probably soon set off on yet another adventure.

1.What record has Ed Viesturs set?

A. He has succeeded in climbing to the world’s 14th highest mountain.

B. He has been to the top of the world’s 14 highest mountains.

C. He has become the first to climb to the height of 26,545feet.

D. He has become the first man to climb to the top of 14 highest mountains in the world.

2.The underlined word “hooked” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by “______”.

A. frightened           B. discouraged                 C. interested            D. upset

3.The author used Viestures’ words in Paragraph 6 to support a view that ______.

A. mountain climbing is a dangerous sport

B. mountains should be regarded as living creatures

C. mountain climbing needs more skills than physical energy

D. those who like mountain climbing won’t stop climbing

4.What’s the next probably plan of Viestures?

A. Stopping climbing and staying with his family.

B. Climbing to the top of the world’s 14 tallest mountains again.

C. Climbing another one of the highest mountains.

D. Writing down the experiences about his adventure.

三、閱讀理解（30分）

On New Year’s Eve

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, people in Rome, Italy, throw out all the things they no longer want. The streets are filled with old chairs, beds, clothes and dishes. In Madrid, Spain, the new year comes in more quietly. People flock to the main square. Each holds a bag of grapes. As the clock strikes twelve, the people eat the grapes— one for each stroke.

In Tokyo people eat noodles on New Year’s Eve. This food is said to bring long life. Early the next morning, some Japanese families climb Mount Fuji. There they watch the first sunrise of the new year.

41. This story is about New Year’s Eve in ____.

A. Italy and Spain     B. China and Japan    C. Japan             D. both A and C

42. In Rome, Italy, the streets are filled with old things on New Year’s Eve because __     .

A. people throw out all the things they no longer want

B. the city has never been clean

C. people want to change back what they want

D. they want to see the sun come up

43. People in both Spain and Japan bring in the new year by____.

A. throwing things away                      B. eating a special food

C. climbing a mountain                       D. watching the first sunrise

44. In Tokyo, people eat noodles on New Year’s Eve _____.

A. because they like eating noodles very much

B. so that the daytime could be longer

C. in order that they could live longer

D. though they don’t eat them

第三部分 閱讀理解（共兩節(jié)，滿分40分）

第一節(jié)（共15小題；每小題2分，滿分30分）

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。

Erik Weihemnayer was born with an eye problem. As a child his eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a full and active life.

    Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He competed in long-distance hiking, marathons and skiing. His favorite sport, though, is mountain climbing.

    As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous 1000-metre rock wall of El Capitan. Two years later, while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a time at13,000 feet above sea level in order to get married．In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America．And then, on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest climbing challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world．

   Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.

   Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind．“When people think about a blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on top of the world.”

56．When did Erik become blind totally?

    A．In 1968.                 B．In 1995.                 C.  In 1981.                D．In 1970.

57．Erik got married ________.

    A．on the summit of Mount McKinley               B．when climbing Mount Everest

    C.  on the top of Aconcagua                             D．when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

58．What is Erik’s special way for climbing a mountain?

    A．Using two long poles.                                B．Doing his share of work.

    C.  Taking his girlfriend．                               D．Keeping a good team around him.

59．Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?

    a．He topped Mount McKinley.

    b．He became blind．

    C.  He challenged Mount Everest.

    d．He reached the peak of Kilimanjaro.

    e．He climbed the rock wall of EI Capitan.

A．b, e, d, c, a             B．b, a, e, d, c                    C.  a, b, e, d, c                   D．b, d, a, c, d

Erik Weihenmayer was born with an eye disorder. As a child his  eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight  completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a  full and active life  Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He competed in long-distance biking, marathons and  skiing. His favorite sport, thought, is mountaineering.  As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous  1000-metre rock wall of EI Capitan. Two years later, while climbing   Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a  time at 13,000 feet above sea level－in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America.  And then , on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest mountaineering challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of  him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is  a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.  Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of  being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. “When people think about a  blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on the top of the world.

When was Erik born?

A. In 1967.        B. In 1995.       C. In 1968..         D. In 1969.

What was unusual about his wedding?

A. He got married on the summit of Mount McKinley.

B. He got married when climbing Mount Everest.

C. His wedding was held at 13,000 feet above sea level

D. His wedding was held after he prepared a lot.

What is Erik’s special method for climbing a mountain?

A. He takes his girlfriend with him.  B. He uses two long poles to help himself

C. He does his share of  the jobs.　  D. He keeps a good team around him.

Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?

a. He topped Mount McKinley.

b. He became blind.

c. He challenged Mount Everest.

d. He reached the peak of Kilimanjaro.

e. He climbed the rock wall of EI Capitan.

A. b a e d c 　　 B. b e d c a　      C. a b e d c 　     D. b a c d e

Climbing Mount Tai           great skills and           not without risk.

B

KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) - Nepal has given its security personnel permission to shoot pro-Tibet demonstrators during China's Olympic flame climb to Mount Everest's summit early next month.

"About 25 soldiers and policemen have established camps on the mountain and they have been ordered to use force if necessary to stop any anti-Chinese activities," Mod Raj Dotel, spokesman for the home ministry, said Sunday. "This could mean shooting if necessary."

Security personnel will also check mountain climbers for non-essential expedition materials, Dotel added.

"If anyone is found with anti-Chinese material their permit will be canceled and returned from the mountain," he said.

Chinese climbers plan to take the Olympic flame to the top of the world's highest peak, at 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) as part of the global relay leading up to the August 8 opening of the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Spring is the most popular season for climbing Mount Everest, which straddles(跨越) the border between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.

The Nepali government has given permits to dozens of climbers from 30 expeditions this season.

But between May 1 and May 10, climbers are barred from going above 6,400 meters until the torch run is completed. China plans to take the Olympic flame to the summit sometime then.

Bad weather conditions allow only about two opportunities in May for a push to the summit.

The Chinese have not allowed any expedition to climb the mountain from the north side, according the Kathmandu representative of the Tibet China Mountaineering Association.

Almost every day in the past month, Nepalese police have arrested pro-Tibet protesters from in front of the Chinese Embassy and the United Nations offices. The demonstrators are released later in the evening.  

Supporters of Tibet punish the government's attitude toward the autonomous region, and many believe China should not have been awarded the honor of hosting the Olympic Games.

Earlier torch relay stops in London, England; Paris, France; and San Francisco, California attracted tens of thousands of demonstrators. They led to attacks on the torch and relay participants, and prompted police to make dozens of arrests.

Subsequent stops in Argentina, Tanzania and Oman were trouble-free.

In Pakistan, authorities closed the relay to the public. And India shortened the relay and kept thousands of anti-Chinese protesters at bay by sealing off roads and shuttering buildings along the route.

The relay went smoothly in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday, amid heavy security and scattered protests along the route.

The flame arrived in Malaysia on Sunday. About 1,000 police officers will be on hand to watch for protesters during a relay in the capital city Kuala Lampur Monday.

61．When will China's Olympic flame probably reach Mount Everest's summit?

A．April 28     B．May 12        C．June 10        D．May 7

62．The underlined word “barred” means_____________.

A．permitted      B．stopped        C．encouraged     D．introduced 

63．How many times Climbers can reach the top of the mountain at most in May?

A．once             B．twice   

C．three times            D．a(chǎn)s many times as they can

64．Where did the torch relay meet no trouble?

A．India          B．Nepal     C．Tanzania         D．France

65．What is the attitude of the Nepali government towards towards China's Olympic flame climb to Mount Everest's summit?

       A．negative         B．positive        C．a(chǎn)mbiguous           D．Indifferent

B
KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) - Nepal has given its security personnel permission to shoot pro-Tibet demonstrators during China's Olympic flame climb to Mount Everest's summit early next month.
"About 25 soldiers and policemen have established camps on the mountain and they have been ordered to use force if necessary to stop any anti-Chinese activities," Mod Raj Dotel, spokesman for the home ministry, said Sunday. "This could mean shooting if necessary."
Security personnel will also check mountain climbers for non-essential expedition materials, Dotel added.
"If anyone is found with anti-Chinese material their permit will be canceled and returned from the mountain," he said.
Chinese climbers plan to take the Olympic flame to the top of the world's highest peak, at 8,848 meters (29,028 feet) as part of the global relay leading up to the August 8 opening of the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Spring is the most popular season for climbing Mount Everest, which straddles(跨越) the border between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.
The Nepali government has given permits to dozens of climbers from 30 expeditions this season.
But between May 1 and May 10, climbers are barred from going above 6,400 meters until the torch run is completed. China plans to take the Olympic flame to the summit sometime then.
Bad weather conditions allow only about two opportunities in May for a push to the summit.
The Chinese have not allowed any expedition to climb the mountain from the north side, according the Kathmandu representative of the Tibet China Mountaineering Association.
Almost every day in the past month, Nepalese police have arrested pro-Tibet protesters from in front of the Chinese Embassy and the United Nations offices. The demonstrators are released later in the evening. 
Supporters of Tibet punish the government's attitude toward the autonomous region, and many believe China should not have been awarded the honor of hosting the Olympic Games.
Earlier torch relay stops in London, England; Paris, France; and San Francisco, California attracted tens of thousands of demonstrators. They led to attacks on the torch and relay participants, and prompted police to make dozens of arrests.
Subsequent stops in Argentina, Tanzania and Oman were trouble-free.
In Pakistan, authorities closed the relay to the public. And India shortened the relay and kept thousands of anti-Chinese protesters at bay by sealing off roads and shuttering buildings along the route.
The relay went smoothly in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday, amid heavy security and scattered protests along the route.
The flame arrived in Malaysia on Sunday. About 1,000 police officers will be on hand to watch for protesters during a relay in the capital city Kuala Lampur Monday.
61．When will China's Olympic flame probably reach Mount Everest's summit?
A．April 28        B．May 12        C．June 10        D．May 7
62．The underlined word “barred” means_____________.
A．permitted     B．stopped       C．encouraged    D．introduced 
63．How many times Climbers can reach the top of the mountain at most in May?
A．once               B．twice   
C．three times            D．a(chǎn)s many times as they can
64．Where did the torch relay meet no trouble?
A．India          B．Nepal     C．Tanzania          D．France
65．What is the attitude of the Nepali government towards towards China's Olympic flame climb to Mount Everest's summit?
A．negative          B．positive         C．a(chǎn)mbiguous            D．Indifferent

Erik Weihenmayer was born with an eye disorder. As a child his  eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight  completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a  full and active life  Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He competed in long-distance biking, marathons and  skiing. His favorite sport, thought, is mountaineering.  As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous  1000-metre rock wall of EI Capitan. Two years later, while climbing   Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a  time at 13,000 feet above sea level－in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America.  And then , on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest mountaineering challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of  him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is  a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.  Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of  being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. “When people think about a  blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on the top of the world.
【小題1】When was Erik born?

They would not allow him _______ climbing Mount Everest.

   A. to risk to        B. to risk going        C. risking going      D. risk going

Climbing Mount Everest          great skills and         not without risk.

A. requires；are      B. required；were     C. requires；was      D. requires；is

Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower. But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.

His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia's snowcapped Himalayas. At 26,545 feet, its peak is the 10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing.

"It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous," said Viesturs. "There's no simple way to climb it. There are threatening avalanches (雪崩) and ice falls that protect the mountain."

In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog's tale of climbing the icy Annapurna. Herzog's story was of frostbite (凍傷) and difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was hooked right away.

Viesturs got his start on Washington's Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding hikes in the summer. Fifteen years ago, he set out to walk up to the world's highest peaks. Finally, he's done.

The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with respect. "You have to use all of your senses, all of your abilities to see if the mountain will let you climb it," said Viesturs. "If we have the patience and the respect, and if we're here at the right time, under the right circumstances, they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down."

What's next for a man who can't stop climbing? "I'm going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back and enjoy the summer," says Viesturs. But for a man who's climbed the world's 14 tallest mountains, he will probably soon set off on yet another adventure.

What record has Ed Viesturs set?

A. He has succeeded in climbing to the world’s 14th highest mountain.

B. He has been to the top of the world’s 14 highest mountains.

C. He has become the first to climb to the height of 26,545feet.

D. He has become the first man to climb to the top of 14 highest mountains in the world.

The underlined word “hooked” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by “______”.

A. frightened               B. discouraged             C. interested           D. upset

The author used Viestures’ words in Paragraph 6 to support a view that ______.

A. mountain climbing is a dangerous sport

B. mountains should be regarded as living creatures

C. mountain climbing needs more skills than physical energy

D. those who like mountain climbing won’t stop climbing

What’s the next probably plan of Viestures?

A. Stopping climbing and staying with his family.

B. Climbing to the top of the world’s 14 tallest mountains again.

C. Climbing another one of the highest mountains.

D. Writing down the experiences about his adventure.

I had looked forward to this day for a long time．Finally I, Kirsty Sturart, would stand on the top of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe．Although I climbed often in my native Scotland, this was my first trip to the Alps．My companions—Jean Pierre Barton, Maurice Gautier, and Mary Sargent—and I left our camp early and planned to reach the top by late morning．

As we neared the top, large clouds gathered and it began to snow．We found shelter and decided to wait for the snow to stop．After three hours, however, we decided to go back and try again the next day．We started down the mountain in the thick snow．Jean-Pierre forgot his sunglasses and went back to look for them．As he was returning to us, he started to fall．

His fall started an avalanche（雪崩） and it was falling towards us! I was swept away by the heavy snow. Jean-Pierre hurried down to me．“Are you OK?” he asked．

“I think I broke my leg,” I answered．

“I’d better radio for help!” he said．“Where are the others?” We couldn’t see Maurice or Mary anywhere．

Jean-Pierre called the emergency radio number, and the police said they would send help right away．It seemed like hours, but only minutes later we heard the welcome sound of a helicopter． The helicopter couldn’t land on the mountainside, so they lowered two men, two dogs, and a stretcher（擔(dān)架）．One man ran to me, but I told him to search for the others．The dogs were trained for avalanche rescue and soon began to dig crazily in the snow．

Bernardo, the lead dog, found Mary’s scarf and led the rescuers to her．Maurice was nearby．The men gave us hot drinks and warm blankets and then prepared to lift us into the helicopter．Two men inside the helicopter pulled us up with the ropes．I went first on the stretcher．

Once we were safely inside, the helicopter flew to the hospital in Chamonix．Our poor rescuers and their dogs had to climb all the way back down the mountain．Later we would find these brave men and thank them for saving our lives．

1.What prevented the climbers from reaching the top?

    A．The terrible weather．

    B．The loss of the sunglasses．

    C．The injury of the team members．

    D．The unexpected height of the mountain．

2.How did the writer break his leg?

    A．The road was covered with snow．

    B．His companion knocked into him．

    C．The heavy clouds blocked his view．

    D．The avalanche caused a fall for him．

3.How did the writer feel while waiting for help?

    A．Anxious．        B．Crazy．          C．Sorry．          D．Annoyed．

4.What do we learn from the passage?

    A．Mary was the leader of the team．

    B．The team was upset about their failure．

    C．It was several hours before the rescue team arrived ．

    D．The writer was excited thinking of climbing Mount Blanc．

Erik Weihenmayer was born with an eye disorder. As a child his eyesight became worse and then, at the age of 13, he lost his sight completely. However, he did not lose his determination to lead a full and active life.

       Erik became an adventurer. He took up parachuting, wrestling and scuba diving. He competed in long-distance biking, marathons and skiing. His favorite sport, thought, is mountaineering.

       As a young man, Erik started to climb mountains. He reached the summit of Mount McKinley in 1995 and then climbed the dangerous 1000-metre rock wall of EI Capitan. Two years later, while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya with his girlfriend, they stopped for a time at 13,000 feet above sea level－in order to get married. In 1999, he climbed Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America. And then , on May 25, 2001, at the age of 33, Erik successfully completed the greatest mountaineering challenge of all. He climbed Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

       Erik invented his own method for climbing mountains. He carries two long poles: one to lean on and the other to test the way ahead of him. The climber in front of him wears a bell to guide him. Erik is a good team member. He does his share of the job, such as setting up tents and building snow walls.

       Although he could not enjoy the view, Erik felt the excitement of being on the summit of Everest. He hopes that his success will change how people think about the blind. “When people think about a blind person or blindness, now they will think about a person standing on top of the world.”　

When was Erik born?

       A. In 1968.                   B. In 1995.                   C. In 1967.                   D. In 1969.

What was unusual about his wedding?

       A. He got married on the summit of Mount McKinley.

B. He got married when climbing Mount Everest.

       C. .His wedding was held after he prepared a lot.

D. His wedding was held at 13,000 feet above sea level.

What is Erik’s special method for climbing a mountain?

A. He takes his girlfriend with him.　　　　　　　B. He does his share of the jobs.

C. He uses two long poles to help himself.　　　  D. He keeps a good team around him.

Which of the following shows the right order of what happened?

a. He topped Mount McKinley.

b. He became blind.

c. He challenged Mount Everest.

d. He reached the peak of Kilimanjaro.

e. He climbed the rock wall of EI Capitan.

A. b, e, d, c, a 　 　B. b, a, e, d, c      　　 　C. a, b, e, d, c   　 　　D. b, d, a, c, d

　　Erik Weihenmayer wants to climb Mount Everest. He loves to climb, and there is no place greater for climbers than the Himalayan peak of 29, 035 feet, the world’s highest mountain.

　　Weihenmayer is blind. He has been blind since age 13, when an eye disease robbed him of his sight. His new book, Touch the Top of the World, A blind Man’s Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye can See, describes his blindness and climbing. He is the first blind man to attempt Everest. The team reached base camp at 17, 800 feet last Wednesday and begins its climb Saturday. If all goes well, Weihenmayer will reach the top on or about May 15.

　　“I’m not just some token blind guy, ”Weihrnmayer, aged 32, said hours before he left Los Angeles on Friday for Katmandu, Nepal. “I put my life in my fellow climbers’ hands, and they put their lives in my hands. It’s an honor to reach that state. ”

　　“I want to experience the sense of adventure. Blindness has nothing to do with that. But a message of the climb is that a blind person can join a team and climb the highest mountain in the world. ”

　　Weihenmayer has climbed the highest peaks on four continents: North America’s Mount McKinley, South America’s Aconcagua, Africa’s Kilimanjaro and Antarctica’s Vinson Massif. He is an expert rock and ice climber, having scaled EL Capitan in Yosemite National Park. When he was 16, he attended a school that taught blind people to be independent. One day, a group went rock climbing. “I really liked it,” Weihenmayer said. “You can problem-solve. It is pretty sense in your inner mind. People didn’t think blind people could go out and become expert rock climbers. ”

　　1．Which of the following sentences is NOT true?

　　A．Weibenmayer has been blind for almost 19 years.

　　B．Weihenmayer is the first man to climb Everest.

　　C．Mountain climbers think it great to conquer the Himalayan peak.

　　D．Weihenmayer might have begun his dream when he was in his teens.

　　2．The distance between the top of Mount Everest and the team camp was probably ________.

　　A．29, 035 feet

　　B．11, 235 feet

　　C．17, 800 feet

　　D．not told in the passage

　　3．Weihenmayer ________.

　　A．likes the sense of being dependent on other people now that he is blind

　　B．will have climbed the highest mountains on four continents after climbing Mount Everest

　　C．loves climbing because he wants to enjoy the sense of adventure of problem-solving

　　D．and his teammates will reach the top of Mount Everest exactly on May 15

Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A,B,C and D. Fill in each blank with word or phrases that best fits the context.

Dear Mr Cai,

Thank you for your proposal about virtual reality. I’m very interested in RealCine. However, before using it in my next film, there are some points I   1like to mention.

I think viewers will be impressed by a film that   2them to be a character in the film. The example of climbing Mount Qomolangma   3me with a deep impression. I think it is wonderful that the low temperature may be felt by the viewer, but I am not sure   4the sense of achievement will be experienced via virtual reality. It seems to me that it all depends on the viewer who is watching the film. I like the   5that virtual reality can provide teenagers   6a way to experience the world, for example, by experiencing the   7of football player. I think my grandfather will be   8by the idea that even old people can be sent on adventures. It’s fantastic. But I don’t know how much money will be needed to   9such a film. I’m worried that RealCine may be too expensive for   10people to afford. We are not ready to   11the risk of investing in RealCine yet. However, I have   12about your proposal to other people in my company, and the idea is being considered by them. I will let you know our final decision soon.

Yours sincerely,

ChengYige

1.A. could                                  B. would                             C. might                       D. must

2.B. makes                                 B. lets                                 C. hopes                       D. allows

3.A. left                                      B. sent                                C. made                       D. did

4.A. when                                  B. why                                C. how                         D. where

5.A. viewer                                 B. idea                                 C. character                  D. impression

6.A. for                                      B. in                                    C. by                           D. with

7.A. sense                                  B. game                              C. role                          D. film

8.A. frightened                            B. worried                           C. terrified                    D. thrilled

9.A. see                                      B. watch                             C. develop                    D. introduce

10.A. ordinary                      B. old                                  C. rich                         D. wealthy

11.A. make                                 B. take                                C. get                           D. catch

12.A. recommended                    B. talked                              C. mentioned                D. said