1 . High-Wire Act
Mickey Wilson had been on the mountain only a few seconds when he heard the scream. Wilson, 28 years old, had just gotten off the cable car (索道缆车) at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area in Keystone, Colorado, along with his friends Billy Simmons and Hans Mueller. Their friend Richard had been on the cable car ahead of them, but when the men reached the top of the lift, he had disappeared. The men walked toward the source of the scream and found skiers stopped on the slope, pointing to the cable car. And then the friends screamed too.
“Oh, Richard!” yelled Mueller.
When Richard had tried to jump off the cable car, his backpack had been caught in the chair, which then dragged him back down the hill. In the process, the backpack belt twisted around his neck, making him breathless. Now Richard’s body was swinging four feet above the snow. The cable car operator had quickly stopped it, and the friends kicked off their skis and ran toward the scene. They made a human pyramid to try to reach Richard, but the unconscious man was too far off the ground. With the clock ticking, Wilson ran to the ladder of a nearby lift tower. Scared skiers watched as he struggled the 25 feet. After he reached the top, Wilson’s first challenge was to climb onto the two-inch steel cable that held the chairs. He handled the balance and height bravely, but he knew he could not walk on the cable. Therefore, he calmed down and sat over it and then used his hands to pull himself to Richard quickly. Wilson’s greatest fear wasn’t that he’d fall, but that he wouldn’t reach Richard. “This was life or death,” he said.
When he reached Richard’s chair, Wilson swung a leg over the cable and attempted to drop down onto it. But as he did that, his jacket caught on the movable footrest, which was in the up position. The footrest began to slide down, with Wilson attached. But before that could happen, he managed to free himself and reached Richard.
Fortunately, the ski patrol (巡查) had gathered below and performed emergency treatment on Richard, who had been hanging for about five minutes, then skied him down to an ambulance.
That night, Richard called from the hospital to express his thanks to Wilson, his other friends and the workers at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area.
1. What happened to Richard when he tried to jump off the cable car?A.He was sick and became unconscious. |
B.He left his skis which stopped the cable car. |
C.He was too afraid to move forward in the cable car. |
D.He was caught by the neck, hanging down the cable. |
A.People worked together and saved him. |
B.Wilson climbed on the cable and saved him. |
C.The ski patrol got him down and treated him. |
D.Skiers treated him and carried him to the hospital. |
A.the rescue process was dangerous |
B.something was wrong with the cable car |
C.Wilson could manage the process very well |
D.the operator of the cable car ignored his duty |
A.it is very dangerous to go skiing |
B.he that climbs high often falls heavily |
C.bravery and calm can help you make a difference |
D.a person with a great talent always has great will-power |
Basketball hero Kobe Bryant's death has drawn an outpouring of shock and sadness across China. Basketball fans in China are now sad after learning that the former Los Angeles Lakers' 18-time NBA All Star had died at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash
3 . She Walked Through Fire
On Thanksgiving weekend, the Heffelmire family gathered for a meal at their home. After dinner, the family went down to the finished basement to relax except Charlotte’s father, Eric, who was in the garage to fix his truck.
Around 8 pm, Charlotte decided to check on her dad. She walked through the kitchen. When she opened the side door to the garage, black smoke rose up into the kitchen. She could barely make out her father lying on his back, trapped under the truck. He’d removed the front passenger-side tyre and raised the truck on a jack(千斤顶). The truck had slipped off the jack, and now the whole weight of the wheel was on his chest and shoulders.
Charlotte ran to the front of the truck and struggled to lift it. Eric was still conscious, and he yelled, “You got it! One more try!?” She tried again and was able to tip the truck backward just enough for her to pull her dad by the shirt with both hands from under the truck.
She dragged him across the garage and 20 feet down the driveway. Then she ran back to the garage, which had burst into flames. “I was afraid the car was going to explode,” says Charlotte, so she climbed into the truck, which faced forward, turned the key, and pressed the gas pedal(油门). The car slowly rolled out, the metal wheel scratching loudly against the concrete.
Safely on the driveway, Charlotte stopped the truck and ran back to the basement. “There’s a fire! Everybody get out!” she yelled as she picked up her three-month-old niece and ran out. Outside, she handed the baby to her mom, and then ran around to the burning garage. She picked up a garden hose(水管) and sprayed the fire while calling 911.
A few minutes later, firefighters and an ambulance arrived. Charlotte was treated for second-degree burns on both her feet and face. Her dad had injuries on his chest and shoulders, as well as minor burns on his face. The garage and the house were damaged but the family survived.
The Heffelmires are staying in an apartment while their house is rebuilt. “Charlotte is a remarkable kid,” says her dad. Charlotte, however, simply says, “I was saving my family and my house. I wasn’t going to let my dad die.”
1. Eric got trapped because ________.A.the kitchen was on fire | B.the wheel fell off the truck |
C.the front tyre was removed | D.the truck slipped off the jack |
A.the truck exploded |
B.the house was not fit to live in |
C.the three-month-old baby was injured |
D.Charlotte was burned on her chest and shoulders |
A.proud and clear-headed | B.modest and easy-going |
C.calm and quick-minded | D.independent and self-centered |
﹡After the fire, what now?
Bishop Patrick Chauvet, Notre Dame (巴黎圣母院)’s manager, admitted that the famous building would close for “five to six years” as he spoke with local business owners Wednesday. He added that it was unclear what the church’s 67 employees would be doing in the future. French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that he wanted the church rebuilt in five years.
﹡What are the new rules?
While tourists can’t go inside the site itself, the area still may prove popular to those paying their respects. Visitors are welcome to write messages of support in both the main and local city halls.
The island that houses the church has been closed and the people there have been evacuated since the fire. Paris businessmen who depend on Notre Dame tourism are worried about the church’s future as well as their own.
﹡
It’s known that spring is a busy time for tourists in Paris. The travel company recommends people visit other places, like the Basilique Saint-Denis, the Sacre-Coeur and so on. Those who tend to observe church services during Holy Week are advised to go to Saint-Eustache.
﹡Looking ahead to rebuilding
It seems rebuilding can begin, since firefighters put out the fire early Tuesday, more than 12 hours after nearly 400 firefighters had battled the flames that changed the city’s skyline. Two policemen and one firefighter were not badly injured, according to the Paris Fire Service.
A large campaign to raise money already is underway to rebuild the church. Up to Wednesday, donations came to $1 billion.
1. What does the underlined word “evacuated” mean?A.removed | B.examined | C.accused | D.ruined |
A.Saint-Eustache is favored by tourists. |
B.Tour companies offer other choices. |
C.Church culture develops fast in Paris. |
D.The best time to visit Paris is spring. |
A.The government will arrange work for 67 employees. |
B.Visitors will be forbidden to leave messages anywhere. |
C.Churches in Paris will also be examined and repaired. |
D.More money will be donated for the rebuilding project. |
6 . Alexis, 17, sat quietly in the passenger seat of her dad’s car. She let her eyes lazily scan, the landscape for wildlife. Then a deer came into view about 200 yards in front of them. “Dad, there’s a deer there!” Alexis said. It was a male deer with sharp sntlers(角) on each side of its head.
As the car moved closer, Alexis saw that the deer’s head was bent toward the ground. Then she heard a scream and saw an arm fly up near the deer’s head. Alexis realized the deer was attacking a woman. Sue, a 44-year-old mother, had been out for her morning run. The deer followed her and edged closer. “I knew I was in trouble,” Sue says. She went to pick up a stick for self-defense, and the deer charged. It lifted her with its antlers and threw her into the air. Sue could feel blood flew down her leg. Within seconds, the deer had pushed her off the road.
When Alexis and her father pulled up, the deer was throwing Sue like a doll. Alexis looked into the woman’s terrified eyes, and before her father had even stopped the car, the teenager jumped quickly out of the car and ran toward the deer. “I was kicking it to get its attention,” she says. Then her father, who had followed his daughter, pushed the deer away from the women.
Alexis helped Sue into the car, and then applied a piece of cloth to Sue’s injured leg. “We’re going to get you to a hospital,” Alexis said. Then she heard her father shout loudly. He had been knocked to the ground. Alexis took hold of a hammer from the car and ran to where her father lay on his back. She beat the deer’s head and neck, but the blows didn’t scare it away. “I was losing faith,” she says. “A couple more strikes, Alexis,” said her father. “You can do it.” Turning the hammer around, Alexis closed her eyes and beat the deer’s neck with all her strength. When she opened her eyes, the deer was running away. Alexis got in the driver’s seat and sped toward the nearest hospital.
After Sue was treated, she tearfully thanked her rescuers. “You expect a teenage girl to get on the phone and call for help,” she says, “not to beat up a deer.”
1. What was Sue doing when she was attacked by the deer?A.She was driving home. | B.She was resting on the road. |
C.She was taking exercise. | D.She was feeding wild animals. |
A.changed | B.cut |
C.attacked | D.moved |
A.She pushed the deer away. | B.She hit the deer with her feet. |
C.She drove the car to hit the deer. | D.She beat the deer with a hammer. |
A.Strong. | B.Cruel. |
C.Energetic. | D.Brave. |
7 . “I wish we hadn’t come on this trip!” Jeff’s voice echoed across the narrow canyon (峡谷). His father stopped, breathing heavily. “This is hard on you, but you’ve got to come through with courage!” He gently placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Now, I don’t know if I can make it without stopping every so often. You’re young, but you’re strong and fast. Do you remember the way back from here to the road, if you had to go alone?”
Jeff flashed back to the painful scene of Mark, his seventeen-year-old brother at their campsite. He was bitten by a snake yesterday. This morning he couldn’t move, and the pain got worse. He needed medical attention right away. They had left their phone in the car, and it must have been out of power by then. Leaving Mark at the campsite and seeking help was their only choice.
“Jeff, could you do it?”
Jeff looked to the end of the canyon, several miles away. He nodded and a plan began to take hold in his mind. “What is the name of that little town we stopped, Dad??” There must be a hospital there.
“Flint. We parked at the side of the road a few miles out of Flint.”
Jeff nodded. Then they continued climbing. Stone by stone, they made their way up the canyon. Gradually, Jeff’s father grew smaller and smaller in the distance. Jeff waved to him and then climbed toward the road. Two hours later, he finally reached the road and struggled toward the town, almost exhausted.
“Can’t stop.” He thought. “Mark’s in big trouble. Keep going.” Suddenly, he saw a truck heading toward him. “Hey, mister!” He shouted, waving both arms. He began to jog toward the truck, and then broke into a full-speed run.
His chest was burning with every breath when the truck driver stopped by him. Jeff explained breathlessly. The driver reached for his cellphone as soon as he heard about Mark. “Better get the helicopter in there,” he said immediately. But Jeff wasn’t sure about that because everything got unclear and then went black and quiet.
Hours later, Jeff opened his eyes to find his father on a chair nearby. “You’re a hero, son,” his father said with a smile. “You had the helicopter sent into the canyon after Mark. I can’t tell you how happy I was when I saw it overhead. They got him to the hospital. He’s going to be fine soon. I’m so proud of you!”
1. Why did Jeff and his father climb up the canyon?A.They were going for rescue. | B.They were doing physical exercise. |
C.They were meeting Jeff’s brother. | D.They were searching for their campsite. |
A.He lost his way. | B.He lost his phone. |
C.He was hit by a truck. | D.He was bitten by a snake. |
A.Jeff was faster than him. | B.Jeff knew the way better. |
C.Jeff needed more exercise. | D.Jeff preferred going by himself. |
A.Humorous and ambitious. | B.Determined and caring. |
C.Cautious and sensitive. | D.Generous and kind. |
8 . April 4th was just another day on a Western Australia farm for Zac Mitchell, until it suddenly wasn’t. In an unexpected accident, the cattle worker was feeding the animals in his charge when one bull cleaned him up and kicked his hand up against the rail, resulting in the thumb on his right hand being cut off. “My thumb was still hanging on the rail... when I got up off the ground,” Zac Mitchell says.
His co-workers tried their best to preserve the thumb for reattachment, placing it on ice in a cooler, but two surgeries to put Mitchell’s thumb back in place failed. That’s when doctors came up with another suggestion: Remove one of his big toes to where his thumb used to be.
Mitchell’s lead surgeon, Sean Nicklin, understood the man’s dilemma at first, calling it a “bit of a crazy idea”. After all, Zac Mitchell did not want to be injured in another part of his body. But as the thumb is incredibly important function-wise, Mitchell eventually gave in. Nicklin explains that the big toe is surprisingly fit for a thumb switch: Nerves sync up (同步) nicely, and it looks more like a thumb, though a giant one, than any other alternative they may have come up with. He added that big toes aren’t as necessary for balance and walking as people believe. As far as the foot goes, occasional “fine balance” activities like surfing might be difficult, but most people without a big toe function fine in everyday tasks like walking and even competitive sports.
The eight-hour surgery went well, and Mitchell is expected to have a year or so of recovery in front of him before he heads back into the fields.
1. What happened to Zac Mitchell on April 4th?A.He cleaned up a bull. | B.He was badly hurt. |
C.He started his farm. | D.He lost his thumbs. |
A.Recreating a new thumb in place. |
B.Replacing the thumb with his toe. |
C.Transplanting his co-worker’s thumb. |
D.Putting back the cut-off thumb again. |
A.Optimistic. | B.Insignificant. |
C.Hesitant. | D.Rejective. |
A.surf on the sea | B.do daily activities |
C.only stay at home | D.work on wheelchair |
9 . A Heroic Driver
Larry works with Transport Drivers, Inc. One morning in 2009, Larry was
The man who had his bright lights on
Once fire and emergency people arrived, Larry and the other man
One thing is
A.walking | B.touring | C.traveling | D.rushing |
A.passengers | B.colleagues | C.employers | D.customers |
A.Since | B.Although | C.As | D.If |
A.each | B.another | C.that | D.his |
A.flames | B.smoke | C.water | D.steam |
A.used | B.disabled | C.removed | D.abandoned |
A.got hold of | B.prepared | C.took charge of | D.controlled |
A.came down | B.came through | C.came in | D.came over |
A.returned | B.received | C.made | D.confirmed |
A.then | B.again | C.finally | D.even |
A.Starting | B.Parking | C.Passing | D.Approaching |
A.quiet | B.still | C.away | D.calm |
A.for | B.so | C.and | D.but |
A.explode | B.slip away | C.fall apart | D.crash |
A.as if | B.unless | C.in case | D.after |
A.stepped forward | B.backed off | C.moved on | D.set out |
A.woman | B.police | C.man | D.driver |
A.forbidden | B.ready | C.asked | D.free |
A.for certain | B.for consideration | C.reported | D.checked |
A.patience | B.skills | C.efforts | D.promise |
10 . Any car accident is frightening, but an accident in which your vehicle is thrown into the water, with you trapped inside, is absolutely terrifying.
Brace yourself for impact (撞击力). As soon as you're aware that you're going off the road and into a body of water, adopt a brace position. The impact could set off the airbag system in your vehicle, so you should place both hands on the steering wheel in the “ten and two” position.
Undo your seat belt.
Break the window. If you aren’t able to open the window, or it only opens halfway, you’ll need to break it with an object or your foot. It may feel counterintuitive (有悖常理的) to let water into the car.
Escape when the car has equalized. If it has reached the dramatic stage where the car cabin has been filled with water and it has become balanced, you must move quickly and effectively to ensure your survival.
A.Open the window as soon as you hit the water. |
B.Surviving a sinking car is not as difficult as you think. |
C.It takes 60 to 120 seconds for a car to fill up with water usually. |
D.Such accidents are particularly dangerous due to the risk of drowning. |
E.In conclusion, if you know what to do in the water, you will be safe. |
F.This is the first thing to attend to, yet it often gets forgotten in the panic. |
G.But the sooner the window is open, the sooner you can escape directly through it. |