1 . Eco­friendly Vauban, lied in the southwest part of Germany, has everything—tree­lined streets, perfect houses—but it's missing one urban feature of the last 100 years or so: the car. And Vauban residents don't mind one bit. Vauban doesn't ban cars entirely. Rather, it just tries to reduce the use of cars by creating "parking­free" and "car­free" living. In Vauban, parking spots are a no­no private property. Cars can only be parked in public parking lots, so living without a car saves residents the cost of parking in the public lot. Cars also are prevented from using certain roads and must stick to strict speed limits. With these limitations, fewer than 20 percent of residents own cars. And now, with a population of 5,500, it's attracting attention from around the world. Can an eco­friendly city like Vauban be a model for Americans to stop their over­ reliance on the cars?

Sometimes when I watch a news report what's in the back of my mind is what isn't being reported or stressed. While this eco­friendly city is inspiring in that it shows residents getting exercise and fresh air through the majority use of bicycles, as well as good old­fashioned walking, common sense would tell you that even for a place like Vauban, Germany, it owes its existence to the cars.

Do you think that bicycles were able to transport all the construction materials that were needed to build and maintain the eco­friendly homes and businesses in Vauban? It took cars to help build this city. It's one of the paradoxes of life that sometimes in order to get away from relying on something like the car, you actually have to rely on that very thing at the beginning and into the foreseeable future to some degree.

I myself haven't owned a car for more than 14 years, and mostly get around town running, walking, or using public transportation. There are times I wish I had one, since it would make many things easier, but overall I'm glad not to have to deal with the headaches of owning a car, which caused me to get rid of it in the first place. And all the walking and running has helped to keep me fit and healthy. To get even close to being like eco­friendly Vauban, Americans will need to absolutely change the way they live. Commuting (乘车上下班) patterns will have to change, public transportation will have to be invested in, and so on. And though ending our love affair with the car will be impossible during my lifetime, we may at least start to see more Vauban­like areas in the USA.

We can hope that Americans will consider using their feet more to get around, cutting down on pollution, and giving themselves some more exercise.

1. Why don't over 80% of the residents in Vauban own car?

A．The streets there are very narrow.

B．There are many limitations on the use of cars.

C．The government limits the number of cars.

D．Most cars belong to their public property.

2. From Paragraph 3 we can know that getting away from cars in cities are ________.

A．opposite things

B．big shortcomings

C．great strengths

D．firm bases

3. How does the writer feel of not owning a car?

A．Curious.

B．Proud.

C．Grateful.

D．Regretful.

4. What is the attitude towards Americans about the lifestyle according to the writer?

A．Not mentioned.

B．They are not eco­friendly.

C．They have too many cars.

D．They work hard.

2 . From Facebook I got to know the Cajun Navy.And there,thousands of selfless volunteers piloted_______ into flooded areas,assisting emergency responders.So I download the app Zello And _______ the Cajun Navy channel.A couple of women who had been taking _______ from victims came on the line at 11:00 am and asked whether anyone could _______ through the night.I said,"I can.”

I got two-minute "training"and a"Good luck!".Then I began to answer calls.The first call was from Chad.He was _______in his house with water up to his chests.He was about to go to his attic（阁楼）．I told him to go to his roof _______,so he wouldn't become trapped by the rising water.

I took request after request.Around 4:30 am,I got a request from Saundra whose grandfather lived _______She was worried because without anyone around, he could not _______ to 911.I assured her that someone would get to him.

But later I learned the Cajun Navy had no boats on the water to help,with the flood so severe.It's no wonder that we had so many people desperately begging for rescue.It looked as if I'd been _______ Seven hours after the calls, we got word that the Cajun Navy was finally .________ to go onto the water.Every 30 minutes,I'd________ the rescuers of Saundra's grandfather.

At 3:00 pm,Saundra told me that her grandfather was on his way to a rescue center.I let out a huge sigh of ________ I texted Chad at 5:30 pm to see whether he was________I got his word“We are safe now".

I'd been awake for 20 hours but wasn't ________,There was no way I could have ________ right then.I didn't know how police officers, firefighters, 911 workers and EMT s did this every day, but I did know I was grateful beyond measures that they did it.

1.

A．trucks

B．planes

C．boats

D．cars

2.

A．found

B．changed

C．adjusted

D．deleted

3.

A．pictures

B．risks

C．orders

D．calls

4.

A．read

B．work

C．write

D．travel

5.

A．stuck

B．shot

C．hidden

D．locked

6.

A．frequently

B．again

C．slightly

D．instead

7.

A．abroad

B．plainly

C．separately

D．together

8.

A．break through

B．get through

C．point out

D．burst out

9.

A．wandering

B．apologizing

C．lying

D．fighting

10.

A．dropped

B．lost

C．located

D．allowed

11.

A．accuse

B．approve

C．remind

D．warn

12.

A．pain

B．shame

C．relief

D．regret

13.

A．safe

B．sick

C．sleepy

D．terrified

14.

A．anxious

B．shocked

C．conscious

D．tired

15.

A．attained

B．slept

C．bothered

D．negotiated

3 . A very dangerous situation happened in California last week. More than 12 wildfires broke out in the state. Most of them began on October 8, in Northern California. They grew rapidly. The fires were made bigger by winds of up to 50 miles per hour and dry air in the area.

At least 20 people have been killed, the state government said. About 200 have been injured. At least 3,500 homes and businesses have been destroyed. About 50,000 people have been required to escape. Many left in a hurry, without time to take their personal things. “All the good stuff(东西)—I’m never going to see it again,” Jeff Okrepkie said. He escaped from his Santa Rosa home. It was destroyed soon after he left.

The fires burned through parts of eight counties(郡，县). These include Sonoma and Napa. The areas are important to California’s economy(经济). They are home to many of the state’s vineyards(葡萄园) and wineries(酿酒厂). In 2016, California’s wineries made more than $57 billion.

October is when wildfires usually produce the most ruins in California. But it is unusual for so many fires to start at once. Up to now, the government has not given a cause for any of the fires, many of which were still burning.

1. Why did the fires grow quickly?

A．Most of the fires began in October.	B．12 fires happened at the same time.
C．The state government didn’t do anything.	D．High-speed wind and dry air.

2. How many people have to leave their homes?

A．50,000.

B．200.

C．3,500.

D．20.

3. What is the biggest loss for California’ s economy?

A．Homes have been destroyed.	B．Wineries have been burned.
C．People have to leave their homes.	D．Many people have been injured.

4. What is the cause of the fires?

A．The high-speed wind and dry air.	B．Many fires started at once.
C．October produces the most ruins.	D．The cause is not explained.

4 . More than one million single-use straws (吸管), most of them plastic, are used in the United States each day. They end up in waterways, harm sea animals, and break down into micro-plastics. Quantities of places have passed plastic-straw bans as a way to start handling the global plastic waste problem.

Straw materials: advantages and disadvantages

1. Metal

Made of stainless steel, aluminum, or even titanium, metal straws have become popular. They draw some criticism for having a metallic taste and conducting heat from a hot drink, but they’re strong and can be reused.

2. Paper

Paper drinking straws, which date from the late 1800s, often absorb liquid over time and can leave a taste or fibers in drinks. They’re the most popular throwaway choice in places with plastic-straw bans.

3. Glass

Though glass straws may be more breakable and thus less portable than reusable straws of other materials, they hold up well to washing and reuse. Some straws are made to look artistic, with colors and blown-glass designs.

4. Bamboo

This natural material can be sustainably produced and is a plant-based replacement of plastic straws. Bamboo straws are easily disposed of and turned into fertilizer. They are reusable but can be hard to clean completely and may absorb flavors.

1. What is the major problem with plastic straws?

A．Function.	B．Flavor.
C．Weight.	D．Pollution.

2. Which of the following belongs to single-use straws?

A．Metal straw.	B．Paper straw.
C．Glass straw.	D．Bamboo straw.

3. What is the advantage of the bamboo straw?

A．It can become fertilizer.	B．It is easy to clean.
C．It is portable and bendable.	D．It has different designs.

5 . 阅读下列材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Plastic is a huge problem for our planet. It is really     1     (challenge) to get rid of and a lot of it ends up in nature or in the ocean in particular. There, it is a threat     2     our animals and plants.

Now a company from the Netherlands, a small country in western Europe, says that it will use plastic     3     (find) in the ocean to build roads. Volker Wessels     4     (turn) the plastic into building blocks for the roads. They will be like puzzle pieces     5     fit into each other.

Not only will this be good for the environment, but also it will be good for the people who look after roads. If a part of the road     6     (damage), it will be easy to remove it and replace it with another piece. The company says that nearly any type of plastic can be used     7     (make) the road pieces.

Scientists     8     (work) on the project say that they are in the final stages of testing the materials for     9     (safe). They say that the first road built will be     10     bicycle path somewhere in the Netherlands.

6 . As we know, earthquakes can bring people much fear. There are some places that have few or no earthquakes. Most places in the world, however, have them regularly. Countries that have a lot of earthquakes are usually quite mountainous.

The most talked about earthquake in the United States was in San Francisco in 1906. Over 700 people died in it. The strongest one in North America was in 1964. It happened in Alaska.

Strong earthquakes are not always the ones that kill the most people. In 1755, one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded was felt in Portugal. Around 2,000 people died.

In 1923, a very strong earthquake hit Tokyo, Yokohama area of Japan. A hundred and forty thousand people died. Most of them died in fires which followed the earthquake.

One of the worst earthquakes ever was in China in 2008. It killed a large number of people. The worst earthquake ever reported was also in China, in which 400,000 people were killed or injured. This earthquake happened in 1556.

Earthquakes worry people a lot. The reason is that we often do not know when they are coming. People cannot prepare for earthquakes.

1. Earthquakes happen __________.

A．in all the places in the world

B．only in a few places along the coast

C．regularly in most places in the world

D．only in the countries that have a lot of mountains

2. When and where was the worst earthquake ever reported?

A．In 1964 in Alaska.	B．In 1556 in China.
C．In 1923 in Japan.	D．In 2008 in China.

3. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A．Earthquakes can cause fires.

B．Earthquakes often come unexpectedly.

C．The stronger the earthquake is, the more people are killed.

D．People still don't know how to tell when an earthquake will come.

4. What may be talked about in the seventh paragraph?

A．How do earthquakes happen?

B．How do earthquakes worry people?

C．What will people do to prepare for earthquakes?

D．How can we save people when earthquakes happen?

7 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Strange things appeared before the Tangshan earthquake happened. For three days the water in the village wells     1    (rise) and fell. The well walls had deep cracks in them. A smelly gas came out of the cracks. Some animals including fish,     2    (mouse) behaved strangely. Other strange things also happened in the city,     3     people thought little of these events and they slept as usual.

    4     (final) a terrible earthquake hit the city of Tangshan on July 28, 1976, in which more than 240,000 people died and many     5    (injure). Many houses fell down and sand filled the wells instead of water. People were greatly shocked. All the electricity in the city was cut off and people began     6     (wonder) how long the disaster would last. The whole city was completely destroyed and the world seemed to be     7    an end. It was one of the most destructive earthquakes ever,     8     shocked the whole nation.

However, the people of Tangshan didn’t lose hope because 150,000 soldiers were sent to help the rescue workers. The soldiers tried their best to dig out those     9     were trapped. They also built shelters for the     10     (survive). Fresh water was taken to the city by every means. Slowly, the city began to come back to life.