【推荐1】

Survival and rescue stories from the deadly crash of TransAsia Airways Flight 235 in Taiwan are inspiring as well as exciting. They raise the question: Why do some passengers survive plane crashes while others sadly don’t?

Some of the survival games involve factors passengers largely can't control, like the weather, flight crew skills, the design of airline seats and the construction, maintenance and the age of the plane.

But passengers themselves can do a lot to improve their chances of survival simply by making smart choices and being informed.

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

＊Seat choice. Experts differ. Have you heard of the “five-row rule”? This refers to the idea that if you're sitting within five rows of an emergency exit, you have a statistically(统计地) better chance of surviving a crash.

＊Listen to the safety talk. Yeah, it’s boring. But it could save your life! The presentation—by video or by flight attendants—explaining what to do in case the plane goes down, offers key information like: How do I get out?

＊Read the safety card. Do you know that safety card in the pocket of the seat in front of you? Think of it as a map leading you toward survival. Read it. It shows how the plane you're on will be evacuated.

＊Be aware of the exits. Plan your escape. Visualize how you—and perhaps children you're traveling with—are going to get out of the plane.

＊Move quickly. You have 90 seconds to get out of the plane after a crash. Many passengers in plane crashes survive the initial impact. It's what happens next that often kills them.

This includes fire, smoke and sometimes water. Sherwood advises using 90 seconds as a time frame for escaping.

1. At the beginning of the passage, the crash of TransAsia Airways is mentioned ____.

A．to share a story	B．to introduce the topic
C．to introduce a flight	D．to criticize the passengers

2. Of the following things, passengers can control ________.

A．the weather	B．flight crew skills
C．the age of the plane	D．making choices of the seat

3. The underlined word “it” in the passage refers to ________.

A．the plane

B．the seat

C．the card

D．the map

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

A．You'd better sit within five rows of an emergency exit.

B．You should listen carefully to the safety talk.

C．You should pay attention to the passengers around you.

D．You should move quickly after a crash.

5. The author’s purpose in writing this passage most probably is ________.

A．to offer us some tips on how to survive an air-crash

B．to offer us some tips on how to enjoy an air journey

C．to inform us of the danger of taking planes

D．to inform us of major services on the plane

【推荐1】Forget about “military-style ravel” during which people tend to visit as many places as possible in the least amount of time. A more relaxing and leisurely alternative, such as “Citywalk”, is becoming the norm among urban youngsters.

Unlike military-style travel, Citywalk is about wandering around a city on foot, feeling the atmosphere and finding unusual things that even a resident of the city might not have noticed before. It can be a special event where people start a journey led by tour guides or simply explore the streets.

Such walks generally avoid famous scenic spots and shopping centers, and take you to places where you can have real interactions with the local people, eat at small but authentic restaurants, and gain a deeper understanding of the city’s history and culture.

Citywalkers have shared their carefully planned routes on social media platforms, generating thousands of followers. Their posts usually include the duration of the walk, and interesting places and restaurants along the way. Some posts are more like a food tour.

Nan Xi, who recently moved from Beijing to Shanghai, said “I think Shanghai is a city perfect for Citywalk. There are big trees along the streets and shops selling different products, which is ideal for couples and friends to walk together and take photos.”

After several Citywalk experiences, she signed up for a two-and-a-half-hour Citywalk priced at 88 yuan per person. A tour guide narrated the history of the buildings and streets along the way. “If it were me walking alone, I would simply find the streets artistic, but the tour that day helped me gain a better understanding of how Western culture blends in with the local culture in Shanghai.” she said. Another surprising benefit of the walk was that she has made friends with two of her fellow walkers.

Lin Yi, a manager for an online platform for self-guided tours, thought Citywalk can help travelers learn about local culture and live as local people do, feeling the vibes of a city. “People who participate in Citywalks usually have similar tastes, and can have in-depth discussions with each other,” he said.

1. What is the main difference between military-style travel and Citywalk?

A．The transport.

B．The cost.

C．The purpose.

D．The destination.

2. Why does Nan Xi think Shanghai is a city perfect for Citywalk?

A．Because it is a perfect place to run shops.

B．Because it provides great experiences in many ways.

C．Because there are great things to do at weekends.

D．Because ideal couples and friends often gather there.

3. What can be inferred from Nan Xi’s two-and-a-half-hour Citywalk?

A．She thought it well worth a try.

B．She went on the tour without company.

C．She wouldn’t have found the artistic streets by herself.

D．She knew how Western culture differed from the local culture in Shanghai.

4. What is the main idea of the article?

A．Citywalk is a new trend in urban tourism.

B．Citywalk can help travelers make new friends.

C．Military-style travel is becoming more popular.

D．Travelers choose Citywalk over military style to follow suit.

【推荐3】If, for some reason, you had 2,010 empty plastic bottles, what would you do? You’d probably sell them cheaply, right? But Xia Yu collected 2,010 bottles and built a boat with them. As you read this, Xia is, in fact, on a river somewhere in Anhui, slowly going towards his destination: the Expo Garden in Shanghai. 2,010 plastic bottles were to celebrate Expo (世博会) 2010 Shanghai. On the opening day of the Expo, Xia, together with five friends, went on a 1, 500km journey from Xiangtan to the Expo Garden, in spite of the doubt whether they’ll make it. After all, the boat they are on can hardly be called a boat. It cost only 2,000 yuan to build in a month.

What’s keeping Xia going is a major cause behind the trip. “We are examining water pollution through our journey and trying to promote a low-carbon (低碳) lifestyle. Before we started, no one believed we could sail the boat to the Dongting Lake. But we made it.” But as they expected, the journey has not always been smooth. Of the six from Xiangtan, four gave up. As of the press time (到发稿时), only Xia and his friend Huang Ying were on the boat. Huang suffered from a disease when they reached Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, Xia said, “There are so many things that can stop us from making it to Shanghai, like the weather, health, and sometimes swift river water”.

The boat was produced in a factory according to our design, and perhaps it’s not in a very good condition. But, Xia said, “we are wearing life jackets. Some boats passing by offered help”. What is more of a reward for Xia and Huang is that the Yangtze River turned out much cleaner than they had expected. Although Xia and Huang are uncertain about the journey ahead, they are quite happy with what they have already achieved. After all, it’s not the destination that counts. It’s always the course that matters the most.

1. Xia Yu doubts the success of the journey because of 　　　.

A．such a long journey on the river

B．the poor boat and the bad weather

C．few people taking part in the journey

D．the seriously polluted river in some parts

2. Which of the following is NOT the purpose of the journey?

A．To examine water pollution.

B．To celebrate Expo 2010 Shanghai.

C．To win a race on the water.

D．To promote a low-carbon lifestyle.

3. From the text we know that　　　.

A．they stay on the boat at night

B．three people gave up due to their bad health

C．Xia Yu and his mate have arrived in Shanghai

D．Huang suffered from a disease on the journey